Just Like Hell
by Cimmerian Sorceress
Summary: HD. Non magic. When Draco moves into his new apartment, the last thing he expects is for the spirit of the apartment's previous owner to start haunting him. Even though Draco's convinced that Harry's dead, Harry doesn't quite believe that... COMPLETE.
1. Self Inflicted Perdition

**Just Like Hell**

* * *

**Summary:** Harry/Draco. Non-magic. When Draco moves into his new apartment, the last thing he expects is for the spirit of the apartment's previous owner to start haunting him. Even though Draco's convinced that Harry's dead, Harry doesn't quite believe that. 

**Disclaimer: **The characters belong to J.K. Rowling and the storyline and most of the dialogues belong to the screenwriters of 'Just Like Heaven'. I just happen to be the amazing person who brought them together. Hehe...

* * *

**Chapter One**

He breathed in and out, his eyes closed. The sweet smell of roses invaded his lungs, making him sigh. He opened his eyes and looked around himself. He was sitting on a sturdy wooden bench in a gorgeous rose garden surrounded by roses in all colors and sizes. He looked up and closed his eyes again, just breathing it all in. This was serene; it was a peace beyond anything he had ever felt. He would do anything to be able to sit here forever.

Suddenly an odd jerk startled him. He opened his eyes and yawned.

"How long was I out?" he asked.

"About six minutes," a deep, calm voice said.

"Thanks," Harry said, rubbing his eyes vigourously before slowly focusing on a blur which started to shape into one Dean Thomas.

"We got another one in ER, seems to have got glass stuck in his retina. We need to do a surgery soon or he may lose sight in that eye forever."

"Shit," Harry muttered, getting up quickly and walking to the cappuccino machine. "I'll be there, just let me get one more cup of coffee."

"And that would be cup number...?" asked Lisa Turpin, one of Harry's friends and colleagues.

"I lost count around the seventh cup," he replied with another yawn that he tried to stifle. Turning to face Dean, he asked, "Show me the file on the eye and start preparing the Operation Theatre for retinal surgery."

"I'm on it," Dean replied before shoving a file at Harry and hurrying out.

"How long you been here, Harry?" Lisa asked.

Harry took a look at the clock on the wall before saying, "Twenty three."

Lisa rolled her eyes. "Twenty three hours? You need to go home, Harry."

"That's not going to get me the attending slot, Lisa," he said as he walked out. Flipping through the pages Harry walked at a quick pace, his doctor's white dress flapping behind him. A few of the staff and even some of the patients smiled at him as he walked past. He managed to smile back at a few, completely absorbed in the file.

Walking through the ER doors, he bumped into a warm body. He looked into the face of an impassive Zacharias Smith. He and Zach had been fighting for the attending slot for the past few weeks. The only reason Harry was here this long at the hospital tonight was because he wanted to pull in some hours so that he could get the slot. "Hey. I took care of Trauma Two while you were sleeping," Zach said.

"I wasn't sleeping. I was just…" Harry began.

Zach grinned. "You're welcome," he said before walking past Harry.

"Am I that easy to predict?" Harry grumbled before walking into the Operation Theatre.

* * *

In the next few hours, Harry had another three minor surgeries to perform, more than two dozen patients in the ER for various reasons and had to have a janitor change the trash bags as his coffee cups had completely filled one. 

He walked into one of the hospital rooms to check on his patient, Severus Snape. The man had been a right grouch in the beginning and had made Harry want to kick around a few bed pans, but was now on so many drugs that Harry kind of wished he was back to his cranky old self. At least, he'd be dismissed this week.

"Hi, Mr. Snape. I'm Dr. Potter, if you can remember. Is there anything I can do to make you feel more comfortable?"

"Marry me."

"Wow. Of course, Mr. Snape," he replied laying a hand on the man's outstretched one. "How could I even think of refusing?"

He looked around the room before shouting out, "Lavender, where are you? Lavender?"

Lavender rushed out of the store room. Harry sighed at her inefficiency. It was as though she kept on disappearing just to make it annoying for him. "Reduce his morphine drip. He seems to be delirious."

He went to check on the Children's Room and had to console a few crying kids by blowing balloons. "Why don't they just hire a clown?" he asked himself as he walked to get another cup of coffee.

He spoke to himself as he pressed buttons on the coffee machine. "Let me see, I'll have a Venti, triple-shot, sugar-free, vanilla, nonfat cappuccino."

Lisa came up behind him and started peering at the mirror beside the machine. She took out some concealer and started covering up her dark circles.

"What's up, Lise?"

"The dark circles seemed to be scaring the patients," she replied.

Dean laughed and took a cup of coffee for himself. "And she's got a hot date tonight."

Lisa glared at Dean. "Stop! I'm going out with my ex, Anthony Goldstein and his mother. He still hasn't told her we've divorced. I won't be responsible for killing a god-only-knows-how-old-woman!" Harry just shook his head amusedly.

Padma Patil came up behind them. She was another doctor there. "I'll trade nights with you if you're going out today."

"Thanks a ton, Padz!" Lisa exclaimed.

"As long as you're doing tomorrow. I've got to go home and sew sequins on Sheila's ballerina ball gown costume before Thursday. And I have to do the slippers and the tiara that's supposed to go with it too," Padma said in the tired and exhausted voice of all mothers of toddlers going through their 'I want to be a pretty princess' stage.

Her twin, Parvati, a receptionist at the hospital pushed her aside as she took her own cup of coffee. "I don't know how you guys do it. Ravi is totally pushing me for kids. I don't even have time to shave my legs."

Lisa interrupted, "Don't shave. He'll leave you alone."

"Really?" Parvati asked, interestedly.

Harry and Dean glanced at each other before subtly rolling their eyes.

"You're so lucky Harry," Lisa said, "All you have to worry about is work." All three women nodded their heads. A nurse, Terry Boot suddenly stuck his head in.

"Dr. Potter, you in here?"

"Yeah, I'm coming," Harry said following him to an observation room.

"Ankle in bed two."

Harry observed the ankle of the scared kid on the bed, asked him a few questions only to have the kid's over worrying mother ask him even more. He walked back up to Terry. "Okay, there aren't any fractures. Just wrap it up and send him home. And do something with that kid's mom. She's driving me balmy. And I thought I had it bad with Snape..."

He looked up to see Zach motioning him out. "Albus' calling us." Harry picked up his strides to meet that of Smith's. He was worried. Albus was finally going to tell them who got the job!

He and Zach took a turn only to come face to face with Dr. Dumbledore. "Dr. Potter, Dr. Smith," Albus said in his calm soothing voice. Harry smiled. Albus had such an effect on people that he could calm even a caffeine-packed, adrenaline junkie like himself.

"Dr. Smith, how long have you been here?" Albus asked.

"Around 12 hours," Smith answered assuredly.

Albus turned to Harry. "A few more," Harry replied weakly.

"All right, Dr. Smith," Albus said.

"I'll scrub up," Zach said, getting up and walked away, shoulders stiff. He knew who got the slot, and it definitely wasn't him.

Albus turned kind, blue, twinkling eyes at Harry. "Dr. Potter, I was going to wait till tomorrow but I wanted to let you know that I've made my decision."

Harry bit his lip nervously.

"I want you to stay on as an attending physician."

Harry's face widened with an exuberant smile. "I can't thank you enough, sir."

"You've earned it. Unlike some others, you happen to spend more time being concerned about your patients than spending time sucking up to me. A risky move, I must say. But I like it."

"Sir, I will guarantee that you won't regret your decision. There's so much I want to do here. I can't wait to get started," he said, getting all excited, nearly knocking over a passer by in his exhilaration.

"Harry," Albus said gravely. "The only thing you'll do right now is go home."

"But sir?" Harry asked, his face falling.

"Harry," Albus started sadly. "Go. You've been here for 26 hours. I know all. Mr. Filch, the Head of the Hospital Management has been complaining about the amount of coffee that you've been consuming during your hours. You are to go home now and rest."

"But…"

"But nothing. That's an order," Albus' voice was sharp and firm.

"Yes, sir," Harry replied demurely walking out.

Albus chuckled; he knew he had made the right choice in choosing Harry for the job.

* * *

Harry walked through the corridors with a jump to his step. Taking out his cell phone, he called his best friend, Ron. 

"Hey Ron?" he asked.

"Harry!" a voice shouted back. Harry rubbed his ear tiredly. He was sure that any future problems with his hearing could be faulted to Hermione. His best friend's wife and second best friend gibbered on.

"You finally called! You're coming to dinner today, aren't you? The kids would be so excited to see you and all of Ron's family is visiting! Even Charlie and Bill! Percy, too. Ron's not too happy with that though. And guess what, Ginny's client, her date to my wedding, is going to come over with his best friend. Ginny says the guy is sizzling hot! Neville's going through one of his insecure crisises at the moment thanks to that but oh well... What do you say, Harry?"

Harry blinked through the haze of words before finally catching up with what was going on. "Hermione, I don't need you setting me up with a complete stranger!"

"Harry, you do need me to set you up. You haven't gone on a date for ages! And the guy isn't a complete stranger. Ginny knows him!"

"You mean he's fat with a sense of humor like all her clients. I can find myself a boyfriend on my own. I meet guys all the time, after all," Harry said wryly, wondering why he had even told Hermione and Ginny he was gay. All they tried to do now was fix him up.

"Yes, and you usually meet them bleeding or with a few broken limbs. Your social life is either in shambles or completely non-existent, I still can't decide which!" Hermione cried out.

"My social life isn't in shambles! I got a marriage proposal today, for your information!" Harry replied stubbornly. He walked past Lavender helping Snape walk down the corridor.

"Marry me!" Snape shrieked.

"Make that **two** proposals, Hermione!"

"Stop making excuses, Harry. It wasn't easy to get this guy to come. He usually doesn't do these kinds of things either." Suddenly Harry heard shouting on the phone. It seemed like Fred and George had come over early and were showing Hermione's twins how to color. Hermione's problem was that they were showing them how to color on her walls.

"I'm in the seventh circle of hell," Hermione muttered on the phone. "You better show up." He vaguely wondered how she could make four words sound like a threat so easily. If only he could do that with some of his patients...

"I'll be there!" Harry exclaimed.

"See you at seven then!" she said and hung up. Harry stared at his phone before chuckling. God was she stubborn!

* * *

Harry was on his way to the elevator when Dean stopped him. "Harry, there's this guy with an infected alimentary canal in six. At least, that's what I think it is. Can you just take a quick peek before you go?" 

Harry hesitated. He had to go but it was a guy's life on the hold here. "Yeah, show me."

* * *

Harry walked to his car and opened the door just as Zach came into the parking lot. 

"Congratulations for getting the job," he said, his voice was slightly laced with bitterness.

Harry smiled back sheepishly. "Yeah, thanks. What are you going to do now?"

"I've an offer from Phoenix. Life's good."

Harry's smile deepened. "That's great!"

"It's fine," Zach said as he got into his car.

* * *

Harry was on the highway before he realized he still hadn't gotten a chance to speak to Ron. He opened his cell phone and dialed the number. 

"Ron Weasley here."

"Hey Ron."

Traffic light. Red. Stop.

"Hey mate. You still coming? Don't worry, your date's late too."

Green. Go. Mountain curve coming up.

"Yeah. Just running late. A blind date at a family party. What's Hermione going to come up with next? You're going to back me up in the after dinner argument after I've sent the guy running, right?"

Edge a bit to the left, slow down the acceleration.

"Obviously, mate!"

"And I got the slot, Ron! I'm staying!"

This place is like a blind drive. Got to honk. Or was that a honk?

"Great, Harry! We're just breaking out the champagne. Come over here soon."

"I'll be there in a minute…"

Truck straight ahead. Shit. Double shit. Scream. The cell phone fell down even as a troubled voice asked, "Harry, mate, what's going on?"

* * *

**A/N: **Wow! My first chapter ever! This story was just a muse I had while watching the movie 'Just Like Heaven'. I have the whole thing written out (needing major modifications) but I still don't know whether to post it or not. 


	2. On the Edge

**Just Like Hell

* * *

**

**Summary:** Harry/Draco. Non-magic. When Draco moves into his new apartment, the last thing he expects is for the spirit of the apartment's previous owner to start haunting him. Even though Draco's convinced that Harry's dead, Harry doesn't quite believe that.

* * *

**Chapter Two**

Draco Malfoy was annoyed. He was annoyed enough to make his real estate agent, Pansy Parkinson shudder. And she had known him since he was ten.

"I want an apartment room, Pansy. An apartment room that happens to be furnished. Is that in any case difficult to comprehend?"

"But Draaaaaco, we've been looking at furnished apartment buildings the whole day! What's wrong with the other three?"

"Pansy, did you even try sitting on the couches? One had no couch whatsoever, one was so flimsy that I almost broke my back and I had to have you pull me out of the other one. And you ask me what's wrong?"

"Draaaaco." It was Draco who shuddered this time at the way his name was drawled out. "You can't get a house with a great location, a good view, a sensible price, grand furniture and a freaking perfect Draco Malfoy couch at one place!"

Shaking his head, he walked out of the building and turned around to stare at his real estate agent. "Pansy, I will get this perfect place. Is that clear?" he asked, pulling a piece of paper that had stuck to his jacket onto the street.

Pansy narrowed her eyes. "Well, if you do find this perfect place, then do tell me! Oh and I think that paper has a crush on you," she giggled as the paper attached itself to Draco's leg due to the wind. He plucked it out impatiently and threw it away from him.

"If I did find that place, then I would have no need to---oomph!" Draco Malfoy pulled off the annoying piece of paper that had stuck to his forehead and read it. He looked at it and then at the building opposite the one he was facing. He then shoved the paper at Pansy and took off towards the building.

She glanced at the paper before rushing after him. "But Draaaco, places like that hardly ever stay around for long…"

The paper fluttered to the ground and lay still. The title on it read:

**'Furnished Apartment for Lease'

* * *

**

"Wow, this place is perfect," Pansy murmured as she looked around the apartment. She walked over to the window and pulled the curtains open. "And you can even see the river from here! I wonder why it's only a month to month sublet though."

Draco just walked over to the couch and sat down. He grinned. "I want this place, Pansy."

* * *

Draco was spread eagle on the couch; face down in nothing but a gray shirt and a pair of boxers. He reached towards the table for his fourth or fifth beer. Beer was piss crap but that was exactly what he needed. Today was their anniversary. They would have been married for nearly three years now. He felt around for a bit before looking at the table. The table only had empty cans. He sighed before getting up and walking towards the kitchen, only to walk into a solid body instead. 

He jerked back and found himself looking into green eyes that looked shocked. "What the fuck?" they both uttered at the same time.

Suddenly the other man raised his hands and backed away while talking at a fast panicked race with Draco, all the while making it seem as though he were talking to a two-year old.

"Listen, okay. There's nothing of value in this apartment. You don't have to do anything drastic, okay?"

Draco stared at the other man who kept on talking.

"Okay, I'm sure there's a homeless shelter nearby. I'll give you enough money for a cab fare and a good meal."

"I'm not homeless. I live here," Draco interrupted angrily.

The other guy's face took on a rather confused expression before he slowly said, "Umm…you can't live here."

"And why can't I live here?" Draco asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Because I live here. This is my apartment."

"Since when?"

"Since I rented it," the guy said.

Suddenly Draco threw his hands up in the air with an exasperated look. "You know what? I don't need this."

"Huh?"

"Rent scam, right?"

"What are you talking about?" the guy asked with that confused look still on his face.

"There's probably five other people who paid deposits and got the keys," Draco said stubbornly.

The guy just raised his eyebrows this time around. "And moved in all their things?"

"Yeah…what?"

"This is my stuff. All of this. That's my couch, that's my coffee table. Oh my god!" the guy screeched, looking completely horrified.

"What?" Draco asked confused. What the heck was going on around here?

The guy strode over to the coffee table littered with empty beer cans and empty junk food packets. "Have you ever heard of a coaster? Or a trash can for that matter? Don't you know beer stains mahogany? I don't care who you are, but you're going to mop that up. I'm getting the bucket."

Draco stared at the guy in front of him. Was this guy even for real? The guy started storming away saying, "It's like a pig moved into my house!"

"What?" Draco asked. No one and no one had ever called Draco Malfoy a pig!

"A filthy pig!" the guy said.

"I'm not a pig," Draco shouted back. Draco tried shaking his head to clear up his daze before following the guy to the kitchen. Except, the kitchen was empty.

"Hey, Mr. Neat Freak?" He looked around the apartment and found no one there. He decided it was best to take a shower. Maybe it would help clear up the fog in his head.

* * *

He wrapped a towel around himself and stepped out of the shower. Yup, that was just some drunken hallucination about a guy with a mop for hair and a startling pair of green eyes. 

He walked to the mirror and started wiping off the steam with his hand. A face glared at him with angry green eyes from behind him in the reflection. "I told you to get out of here!" the guy shouted.

Draco spun around, heart thudding. The bathroom was empty.

"Jesus!"

* * *

"Okay, so what's this all about?" 

"Nothing," Draco replied.

"Nothing? So, you called me out here for nothing?" his best friend shouted at him.

Draco shook his head. "Well, I'm sort of seeing someone."

Blaise Zabini smirked. "Seeing someone? Now that's what I'm talking about. Finally!"

Draco looked up confusedly at his handsome faced, dark eyed, dark haired and dark skinned friend. "You think that's a good thing?"

"Absolutely yeah! The last time I tried to hook you up, you bailed out. This is good, and the fact that you initiated it yourself, that's important. Okay? Now, who is it? Do I know him or her?"

"I mean I'm seeing someone that's not there."

"They're emotionally unavailable?" Blaise asked. Draco shot him a look. Blaise frowned.

"You mean like a hallucination?" he tried again.

"Twice, in my apartment. A man."

"Attractive?"

Draco shot Blaise another look. Reprimanded, Blaise said, "Right, right, okay." He bent over the table and picked up a napkin and pulled out a pen. "Now go on, Draco. Were you drunk when you saw this pretty good looking man, I assume?"

"Well, I was slightly buzzed," Draco began. Blaise gave him a look this time. "Okay, fine, I was completely wasted! But still I shouldn't be seeing a little green eyed neat freak running around my apartment! Why are you writing this down? This isn't a session!"

"That's insulting, okay? I'm your friend Blaise here. I'm not charging you," Blaise said in indignation. "But if this thing rolls into a second hour we're going to have to work out some kind of deal."

"I'm kidding!" Blaise exclaimed, balking underneath Draco's glare.

"So, hold on a second. You were drunk, you saw a green eyed, hot ass guy. I'm assuming hot ass…"

"Yeah," Draco muttered under his breath. Blaise raised an eyebrow at Draco and continued, "Hot ass guy running around your apartment. Am I correct?"

"I've got to stop drinking!" Draco cried out suddenly.

"No."

"No?" Draco asked, furrowing his brow.

"No. Yeah, drink, party. Just do it with other people. God gave us alcohol as a social lubricant. Make men brave, make women lose," Blaise said.

"What is that, some shrink thing?"

"No. Look around you." Blaise waved his arms around the small but expensive café they were seated it. "See this? This is the world. Join it. Stop swimming around in your own mind. That is a dangerous neighborhood you should not go into alone. Come on, Draco. Your mother called me up last Saturday. She's worried about you too. Go visit her. You're a fucking drunk, bisexual, ex-workaholic and an ex-insomniac who sees guys with Greek-god-like bodies and green eyes. Doesn't that tell you something?"

"Yeah, if this is the way you deal with all your patients, I don't have a clue how you're as rich as you are," Draco said wryly.

"It's easy, just tell rich married woman what they want to hear and screw them once in a while. Easy as pie."

Draco grinned at his friend. His grin shifted into a grimace as Blaise resumed their previous conversation.

"Draco, it's been two years. It's time for you to move on. You can't spend the rest of your life stuck on her."

Blaise signaled the waiter for the check.

"I know, Blaise, I know."

Blaise shook his head and paid the bill. "I hope you do."

Draco watched his friend walk out of the door before getting up and doing so himself.

* * *

**A/N:** Yay! Dracoz here. And hez seeing what he thinks are drunken hallucinations of some guy. Now who could it be? Check da summary and ruin da surprise. But then to be viewing this story, you must have read the summary so therez no surprise. Whatever. My mindz in a whirlwind. That usually happens when I'm so sleepy... 


	3. Falling Off

**Just Like Hell

* * *

**

**Summary:** Harry/Draco. Non-magic. When Draco moves into his new apartment, the last thing he expects is for the spirit of the apartment's previous owner to start haunting him. Even though Draco's convinced that Harry's dead, Harry doesn't quite believe that.

* * *

**Chapter Three**

Draco relaxed into the soft mattress. This was the life. Beer in the fridge, a comfortable bed and no imaginary people around _his_ apartment. He had even met his mother the last weekend. She had asked him when he was coming back to his job before talking about other idle things. He had replied that he would be back in two months. That had seemed to please her. They had dinner and he dropped her back in her house in the city. When he was about to leave, she had suddenly hugged him and started crying about how she missed her 'little baby Dracypoo' and how she hoped Draco would get better soon. The last time Draco had seen his mother cry was at his father's funeral. To say Draco had been uncomfortable would have been an understatement.

"Are you insane? What are you doing?" a voice said above him. Draco pushed himself up and stared with wide eyes at the green eyed freak that he thought was long gone.

"Oh, God, what is this?" he muttered.

"I didn't want to but I will call the police."

Draco kept on muttering to himself, "I'm sleeping. It's a dream. It's one of those dreams where you know you're dreaming."

The green eyed freak, as Draco had labeled him by now interrupted Draco's tirade. "How do you keep getting in here?"

Draco pointed an accusing finger at the man. "It's you who's in here."

The man shook his head. "Oh, my. This is more serious than I thought."

Draco folded his arms as he leaned back into the headboard. "Go away, you don't exist," he stubbornly stated.

The man ignored Draco's little rant and went on, "I'm going to ask you a series of questions. I want you to answer honestly now." Draco looked at the man skeptically.

"Has your recent alcohol consumption increased?"

Draco shrugged. "Yeah, so?"

"Are you hearing voices or seeing things that aren't quite real to you?"

Draco took a long glance at the man before him incredulously before nodding and saying, "As a matter of fact, yeah."

"Have you recently sought consult from a mental health care professional?

"What? How do you know? Stay away from me," Draco said, holding up his arms to ward the man away.

The guy shook his head slightly. "Do you feel paranoid, like people are out to get you?"

Draco looked wild eyed at the man. "Why are you asking so many questions?"

The guy rolled his eyes. "I'll take that as a yes. Listen to me. You have fantasized, quite convincingly, that you've rented an apartment which, in fact, belongs to somebody else. Pick up that pillow."

Draco looked suspiciously at the pillow the man had motioned towards. The man made an encouraging motion with his head as Draco reached towards it.

"Go on. Pick it up. It's okay. There's a small green stain on the back where my friend's kid once spilled paint on it. Yes, that's it," the guy said as Draco stared at the green spot the guy pointed to.

"How else would I know that? Or the fact that these sheets that you are now soiling are from Ikea. I still have the receipt, it's in that drawer. Open it up and check if you want to." Draco gave the drawer a suspicious look but made no other motion towards it.

"I think you need to come to terms with the fact that you may be mentally ill."

"Really?" Draco asked. He remembered Blaise's tirade in the café. Maybe he was mentally ill. That would clear up the problem of the freak in front of him.

"Yes. This is my apartment. These are my sheets. That's my nightstand. That's my picture…Wait. Where's my picture?" the guy said pointing to the various items. Draco turned to look over at the vacant spot the guy was staring at.

"What picture?" That spot had been empty even before he had bought the apartment. "There was a picture there of my…There was a picture right there on the nightstand," the guy stated.

"That was empty when I moved in."

"It was just there!"

The guy glared at Draco as though it were his fault for the picture's disappearance. "You know what? I've had enough. I'm calling the police."

"No!" Draco called out as the man strode towards the bedroom phone.

"It's too late," the guy said as he put his hand over to reach the phone. Draco watched with a dropping jaw as the guy's hand passed through the phone. The guy turned towards Draco with an angry and confused expression. "What'd you do to my phone? Why can't I…? You stay right there. I'm going to use the one in the kitchen." With that, the guy strode out of the room.

Draco leapt out of the bed and followed the man out, only to find himself in an empty corridor.

* * *

"Hey Pansy, Draco here. I need you to find out something for me," Draco intoned into the phone. "The people who sublet this apartment to me, do you have their number?" 

"Is something wrong?" Pansy asked worriedly into the receiver.

"No, no. I was just wondering about the previous tenant, that's all."

"Well, the woman that I dealt with, she didn't want to talk about it. It was some kind of tragedy in the family. I didn't press for details because I don't need any more drama. I get enough with you around."

"You think this guy died?" Draco asked in an icy tone.

"Well, you better hope so. That's the only way they're going to get off this month-to-month thing and give you a real lease."

"That's not exactly the reason I was..." Draco started.

"Come on, Draaaco, what do you think I am, blind? You always get what you want and all that crap. So you want to…hello? Dracaao? Draaaco?"

Draco had hung up.


	4. You're In My Dining Table

**Just Like Hell

* * *

**

**Summary:** Harry/Draco. Non-magic. When Draco moves into his new apartment, the last thing he expects is for the spirit of the apartment's previous owner to start haunting him. Even though Draco's convinced that Harry's dead, Harry doesn't quite believe that.

* * *

**Chapter Four**

Draco had to walk down three blocks before he found the place. This was it. The book store that he had found on the internet. The sign outside it read 'The Quibbler'. He walked in and looked around the place. The place was quite comfy and more than a little bit dusty. He looked at the various signs that were hung around the room before walking over to one that said 'Ghosts'.

He was looking over the book titles when an assistant walked over to him. She had dirty blonde hair and a drifting smile. She wore a necklace made out of corks. Somehow it seemed to go with the place.

"Hey, my name's Luna and this is my dad's bookstore. Wha'cha looking for?"

Draco spared her a small glance before looking back at the sign above the books. "Oh," Luna said, twisting a hand around her necklace.

A man came by and tapped Luna on the shoulder. She turned around. "I'm looking for the green sticky gremlins with the purple plasma guns," he said.

"That's the fourteenth aisle--UFOs. I think the book's called 'When Green and Purple Meet' by Colin Quirrell," she said before turning back to Draco. She shook her head with the wide smile still plastered on her face as she said, "Ufology, it isn't even a real science. Now, what encounter did you have?"

"What?" Draco asked her, bewildered.

She pushed past him to look at the books he had been staring at. "I mean, like everyone has an encounter to end up here. What did you have? Ectoplasm? Somniferous? Ether? Casper?"

"No," Draco replied in a pained voice, "just my apartment's previous tenant."

"Hmmmm…" Luna murmured. She pulled out a thin book and handed it to Draco. "You might want this. It's a killer séance book if you're into communication."

"Communicating is not his problem," Draco said as he handed the book back to her.

Luna nodded in an understanding manner. "I have exactly what you need!"

She placed the séance book in Draco's hands again before pulling out three books and handing them over too. "These ones are pretty good."

She scanned the row and pulled out another half a dozen or more books, stacking them up in Draco's arms. "And these would be great for some basic reading and exorcisms."

Then she glanced at the last book on the almost empty row before taking it and laying it in his arms as well. "And that one's just plain handy."

Draco murmured thanks from behind the pile of books in his arms.

* * *

Draco sat on the couch surrounded by candles arranged in a strange pattern that somewhat resembled a pentacle. There was a heap of books on the floor beside him. He looked down into the book on his lap and then glanced at the candles. Correct so far. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, put his hands up and spoke in a loud and clear voice the words written in the book. 

"**I beckon thee now spirit, listen to my call,**

**Come forth from thy abode, answer to my squall."**

He put his hands down and waited. Okay, so that pile of crap hadn't worked. But he was sure this would. He walked into the kitchen and pulled out a white mug. Some letters were inscribed on it with emerald green glaze. He pulled it to eye level and read them. "H. A. R. R. Y. Harry." This might be the guy's name. Perfect.

He went to the coffee machine, poured hot coffee into the mug and walked back to the couch. He picked up the mug and spoke out loudly to the empty room. "I've got a hot, moist cup of coffee in my hand. There is no coaster on this table. I'm going to set it down on this lovely mahogany…" He brought the cup dangerously close to the table's surface.

"Don't you dare!" a voice cried. 'Bingo,' Draco thought. Placing the cup on the table, he got up and outstretched a hand. He wasn't sure how he was to do this. He internally scowled at himself.

"We... We need to talk," he began pathetically.

"About what?" the ghost asked warily.

Thinking about the ghost's reaction, Draco smirked. The ghost suddenly looked uneasy. "Has it crossed your mind that there might be something a little off about the way you've been spending your days?" Draco asked the ghost.

"Actually, yes," the ghost replied. "It's weird having a squatter in your living room."

"I am not..." Draco began but quickly stopped himself and took a deep breath. "Okay, let's start over. Hi, I'm Draco Malfoy. And you are...?"

"I am…" the guy started before hesitating. Then he glanced towards the coffee table before saying, "Harry. My name's Harry."

Draco scowled. "You didn't know that," he said and glimpsed at the coffee table and the mug with the green letters scrawled on it. "You had to read that!" he accused Harry.

Harry frowned at Draco. "I think I know my own name," he said firmly.

Draco smirked. "Okay. When was the last time that you remember actually talking to someone other than me?" Draco smirked harder when Harry bit his lip in an effort to remember. "The other day. The other day," Harry murmured quite unconvincingly.

"And when you're not here, what do you do with the rest of your day?" Draco asked.

"Certainly a lot more than you do, that's for sure," Harry said with a snort.

"Let's not stray from the point, Harry, if that's even your real name."

Harry frown deepened. "My name's Harry."

"You think. Let me ask you, has anything dramatic happened to you recently?"

"Like what?" Harry asked Draco suspiciously.

The guy smiled innocently. Harry suddenly felt chills running up his spine at that smile. That smile just didn't suit the guy. "I don't know, like _dying_ maybe?" Draco asked as he oh-so-innocently dropped the bomb on Harry.

An outraged look appeared on Harry's face. "How dare you say that to me?"

Draco laughed. "Okay, calm down," he said and laid his hands on Harry's shoulders.

Harry moved back. "Get your hands off me, you pervert!"

"Calm down. I'm not here to hurt you. I'm just trying to help you face the fact that…" Draco said stepping after Harry.

"I'm not dead," Harry stated stubbornly.

Draco smirked _again_. "Look around you," he said. Harry stared around himself. He was standing in the middle of his dining table.

* * *

"There should be a bright light," Draco said from the table's edge. 

"There's no light," Harry responded.

Draco started gesturing wildly, pointing his arms towards the ceiling. "Walk into the light, Harry!"

"There is no light! I am NOT dead! I think I'd know if I was dead!" Harry screamed before looking around the table once more.

"What's happening to me?"

"You're dead!" Draco screamed, completely losing his patience.

"Stop saying that!"

"It's not my fault you're the way you are!"

"I just want you out of my house!" Harry said pointing to Draco.

"You get out!"

Annoyed, Harry ran at Draco as if to shove him but Draco sidestepped him. Harry fell through the apartment's wall. Draco walked towards the window and stared down. That seemed like a long way to fall.

"Rest in peace!" he shouted merrily. He turned back only to see Harry behind him with a determined look on his face.

"I'm not leaving," Harry said shaking his head.


	5. Call the Ghost Busters!

**Just Like Hell **

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**Summary:** Harry/Draco. Non-magic. When Draco moves into his new apartment, the last thing he expects is for the spirit of the apartment's previous owner to start haunting him. Even though Draco's convinced that Harry's dead, Harry doesn't quite believe that.

* * *

**Chapter Five**

_"TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR,_

_HOW I WONDER HOW YOU ARE,_

_UP ABOVE THE WORLD SO HIGH."_

Draco turned up the volume in the TV. Harry sung on relentlessly nonetheless.

_"LIKE A DIAMOND IN THE SKY,_

_TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR,_

_HOW I WONDER HOW YOU ARE."_

Rubbing his temples to sooth the headache that had been swift in forming, Draco switched off the TV and walked over to the fridge to get himself a beer. Harry was sitting in the fridge.

"You know I'm not going away, right?" Harry asked, from inside. Draco slammed the refrigerator door shut on Harry's face and walked into the bathroom to have a shower.

Harry sat outside the shower singing another crappy nursery rhyme about a fucking London Bridge that Draco was ready to burn down himself.

Draco rested his head against the cold tiles in the shower. Since Harry had finally figured out that Draco was not going to move out anytime soon, he wouldn't leave Draco alone. He just refused to go away. Draco took a deep breath. This was it. He had tried being nice and understanding. Now, this ghost **had** to go.

* * *

The bishop poured holy water on the floor. "The power of Christ compels you!" He poured some more water. "The power of Christ compels you!" 

"He can't even see me," Harry said from beside the priest.

Draco stood by. "Umm, I think you should turn a little left." The man swiveled a bit, turning further away from Harry before pouring some more water. "The power of Christ compels you!"

Harry looked at Draco and shook his head resignedly. "You're mopping that up," he said and walked into the bedroom.

Draco watched the bishop pour some more water on the floor. "The power of Christ compels you!"

* * *

Draco and Harry sat on the couch as Chinese women walked around the apartment in some kind of dance with pots on fire and waving around long matchsticks. 

Harry yawned and leaned on the armrest. "They're going to set off the smoke detectors."

Draco gritted his teeth. The smoke detector beeped and the fire alarms went off.

* * *

Draco watched the man in the overalls spray some gas all over the apartment. He walked over to Draco and tipped his hat. "The ghost is gone, sir," he said. 

Draco nodded tersely.

Harry stood beside Draco and whispered, "Oooooooooooh" in a conspiratorial tone.

* * *

The fat father with a handlebar moustache and no neck went around one side of the apartment with his machine while his killer whale of a son took the other side. When they both got to the coffee table, their machines went off. They placed a miniature glass pyramid on the table and pressed a few buttons. The pyramid glowed red before settling into a calm orange. 

They walked over to Draco with the pyramid on the father's palm. Draco smiled restrainedly. "We've got the spirit contained in our pyro-hydro-chamber, sir."

"Good job, fellows," Harry said as he looked at the pyramid from beside Draco. "Never thought I could fit in that."

* * *

Draco stared at Luna sitting on his coffee table. He had called her as a last resort. "That's it? You just sit there?" Draco asked her. She opened one eye and shook her head. Her turnip and carrot earrings jingled. How, Draco didn't even want to guess. 

"Hey, you want bells and whistles or a reading?" she asked.

Draco just sighed and sat on the couch. Harry yawned at Draco. "Come on, she can't see me either. For some hideous reason, only you can."

"Shut up!" Draco hissed back.

"This girl's such a scam," Harry said rolling his eyes.

Luna opened her eyes and looked at Draco. "Okay, there's something. Definitely a presence."

Harry laughed. "How original! Tell me more."

Luna tutted before saying, "It's hostile. Wants you out of here."

Harry's eyebrows furrowed. "Maybe this girl isn't that bad after all."

Draco glared at Luna. "Don't I know that already?"

Luna smiled in her drifting way. "The spirit is sending emotions of searing hate towards you like a cancer-causing ray."

Harry grinned. "This girl's good."

"You should consider moving," she said.

Draco scowled. Harry started laughing. "I love her already!"

"Why the hell should I get out of this apartment? The guy's dead. Tell him to get the fuck out. Or better yet, do something to get him out. I told him to walk towards the light. He just wouldn't do it."

"That's because there is **no** light! God, you're infuriating!" Harry exclaimed.

Luna shook her head, her earrings shook. "This is one of the liveliest ghosts I've ever felt. This guy's not going to go anywhere soon. I agree with the ghost. He's not dead yet. But I sense another spirit in here."

Draco shook his head disbelievingly. "Two ghosts? Where the bloody hell is the other one?"

Luna smiled before pointing straight at Draco's heart. "Right here. She's right here. It's like a dark aura, sucking the life right out of you." Her smile dampened. "It's killing you. It's time you let her go."

"What?" Draco asked with a strained voice.

"That's what's really haunting you, isn't it?" Luna asked.

"I don't want to talk about that."

Harry started laughing. "I get it. You were dumped. Probably for some guy who doesn't have a couch fused to his ass."

"Shut up," Draco gritted out.

"You can dish it out but you can't take it? You bring Father Flanagan and the Joy Luck Club to get rid of me. But I can't even talk about you getting dumped once…"

"Shut up!" Draco shouted. "You have no bloody clue what the fuck you're talking about."

"Oh, I think I do," Harry said laughing. "Some girl dumped you and you've been crazy about her all this time."

Draco scowled angrily before shouting at Harry. "I don't need to listen to all this shit!" He walked out of the apartment, slamming the door shut.

Harry laughed.

Luna bent her head down and shook her head before looking back up. "A word to the wise, spirit. Show some respect for the dead."

Harry's eyes widened. "Oh, shit! You mean that girl's dead."

Luna felt the confusion and sighed. "She's been dead for two years. Go after him." Luna felt Harry's aura run through the door after Draco before smiling.

* * *

**A/N: **Is it just me or has Draco been swearing too much? Oh well, blame it on the stress of having a ghost in your apartment. 


	6. Anger, Agony and a Smile

**Just Like Hell **

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**

**Summary:** Harry/Draco. Non-magic. When Draco moves into his new apartment, the last thing he expects is for the spirit of the apartment's previous owner to start haunting him. Even though Draco's convinced that Harry's dead, Harry doesn't quite believe that.

* * *

**Chapter Six**

Harry turned a corner and gasped. Draco was only a few steps ahead of him but Harry just couldn't help but stop and stare at him. The setting sun had bathed the street with a red golden glow and in this light, it seemed as though Draco's head was on fire. Harry felt a niggling feeling in the back of his head at that thought but shook it off as he ran after Draco again. Somehow, the platinum blond had managed to get to the next block while Harry had been staring at him.

By the time Harry caught up with Draco (who had resolutely ignored Harry's shouts to wait), the sun had set and Draco stood in front of a bar. He was staring at it with an indecisive look on his face. Harry gulped and walked up to him.

"I'm sorry. It just occurred to me that I probably don't know you all that well. I…I really am sorry. Most people who deal with loss really find it helpful to talk about things."

Draco spun around to face Harry and screamed, "I don't want to talk about it!" into Harry's face.

"Anger works too," Harry said in a consolatory tone with a slight quirk of his head. They just stared at each other as Draco shook his head disbelievingly.

Unable to take the silence, Harry spoke up. "Who was she talking about?" he asked, failing to keep the curiosity out of his voice.

Draco took in a deep breath as though he was trying to convince himself not to crush Harry's head into tiny, unrecognizable fragments before repairing it back to normal and doing it all over again. He seemed to be having a losing battle. Finally, with what seemed to be the last of his patience, he replied in a harsh tone, "Daphne Greengrass. Her name was Daphne."

"Who's Daphne?" Harry asked again. Draco glared at Harry coldly. Harry wondered abstractly whether he could see ice in those eyes if he looked close enough.

"My wife. She **was** my wife," Draco said before opening the bar door and walking in.

* * *

"The groundhog emerges!" cried a voice as Draco entered. Draco looked around the bar and spotted Blaise surrounded by some people he could uncertainly recognize. They all cheered at the sight of him before going back to their partying. 

He spotted two of his old friends who had acted as his bodyguards when his father had gone through the whole 'everybody's-out-to-kill-my-family-and-me' paranoid stage. "Vince, Greg" he said to them. They grunted back in what he supposed could be a greeting. "**Long** time, no see," Greg grumbled. Draco ran a hand through his hair and sat on a barstool. "Yeah…"

Blaise came up beside him. "I thought you wouldn't make it, or that you had ignored my messages again."

Draco shrugged. "Didn't think I would come either." He motioned towards the red-haired bartender. She came up to him and smiled voluptuously. Draco smiled back at her. "What are you going to have tonight?" she asked, suggestively looking Draco up and down.

"Coffee," Harry shouted from the back in a voice that Draco knew he was the only one with the misfortune to hear. He smirked and said, "Scotch."

"Don't you dare!" Harry cried.

"Make it a double!" Draco cried out louder to the bartender. She smiled and started pouring out the drink.

"You can't drink these feelings away," Harry said from beside Blaise.

"Watch me," Draco replied.

Blaise stared at Draco. "So, you okay?"

"Say goodbye, walk to the door and let's get some food in your stomach," Harry advised Draco.

Draco turned towards him. "Who made you my mother?"

Blaise frowned before shaking his head. "Did I…? Wait, how are you coming along with those hallucinations?"

Draco looked at Blaise as if he had just noticed him. "That was nothing," he said smiling reassuringly. It wasn't that convincing. "Just a lack of sleep."

"Sleep? You getting any? Opium addicts are more alert than you," Blaise said.

"Will you knock it off," Draco said to a Harry struggling to pull Draco's drink away from him. Draco pushed Harry away and put the drink to his mouth.

"Stop right now," Harry yelled as he came closer to Draco. Draco raised an eyebrow at him as he swallowed the fiery scotch in one gulp before motioning for another.

Harry closed his eyes before saying, "You just blew your last chance. You're going to thank me for this one day." Wrinkling his nose in disgust, he jumped into Draco's body.

"Wha---?"

"You okay?" Blaise asked. Draco was convulsing with his hand around his drink. He raised the drink to his mouth and just before he could drink it, he placed it back on the bar. It was like he couldn't make up his mind. He also was jerking around quite a bit and his silver-blue eyes seemed glassy.

"Draco, are you alright?" Blaise asked his best friend worriedly.

Draco just got up and marched out of the bar, very awkwardly. Blaise just stared at his retreating back with wide eyes before shaking his head and going back to the party.

* * *

When they were out on the street again, Harry separated from Draco's body and started wiping himself with a repulsed look on his face. Draco turned around to face Harry with a scowl fixed on his face. "What the fuck did you think you were you doing in there?" 

"I was doing the right thing!" Harry said.

"What? Making me look like a lunatic in front of all those people?" Draco yelled before making a swirly turn and walking into a nearby park. Harry rolled his eyes before running after him. He wondered if Draco had ever been in a drama club. He sure seemed good at making dramatic exits.

* * *

Draco was sitting on a park bench in the middle of the park when Harry finally found him. Harry sat down beside Draco. "Why are you still here?" Draco asked Harry tiredly. 

"That's a scary question to which I have no idea. Why are you the only one that can see or touch me?"

Draco sighed and leaned into the park bench. "Don't ask me. Just my luck, I suppose." Harry sighed and leaned into Draco. Draco flinched but remained still.

"All I know is that when I'm not with you, it's like I don't…exist." Harry paused and then said, "Oh, my god. Maybe I am dead!" He looked like he was having a panic attack.

Draco sighed exasperatedly before stroking a hand through Harry's hair. "Oh, come on now. I'm…I'm sorry that I said you're dead. Maybe you're not dead. Maybe you're just very…light, you know, to pass through walls and all that."

Harry shook his head resignedly. "If I could just remember something about who I am, or was. I mean; then I'd know for sure, once and for all. I'm trying to figure it out. I…I just can't do it by myself."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "You're not asking me to help you, are you?"

Harry straightened himself. "Look. You have two realities to choose from. First one being that a man has come into your life in a very unconventional way and happens to need your assistance."

"Right," Draco deadpanned.

Harry grinned and said, "The second one is that you're an insane person, sitting on a park bench talking to yourself."

Draco snorted. "I think I prefer the former option."

"Okay, then let's figure out who I am," Harry said getting up and holding an arm out to Draco.

"How?" Draco asked as he was hauled up.

"I don't know," Harry replied. "But what I do know is that I knew your friend back there."

"What?" Draco asked confused.

"Your friend in the bar. I remembered him. He seemed familiar."

"How could you know Blaise? He's a psychiatrist whose clients are usually women with fat bottoms and even fatter purses."

"I don't know how I knew him but I did. I think that I remember things only when I see them."

"Oh," Draco said. "Let's go back to the apartment then. We can start by asking the neighbours tomorrow what they knew about you."

Harry smiled at him gratefully and Draco couldn't help but smile back.

* * *

**A/N:** This was a pretty weird chapter to write. I mean, it's like Harry and Draco have a sudden turnabout in here. Or maybe I'm just missing Draco trying to exorcise Harry. sigh. And Harry's starting to remember some things! (Hint:_...a niggling feeling in the back of his head at that thought but shook it off ..._)

* * *

**Replies to anonymous reviews without e-mail addresses:**

**Crubellelasheentaii:** Sorry but I didn't know what else to call you! Thanks a ton for all those names, they were all really kewl and I'll be sure to remember them if I need a name again. Can you give me a link to the website that you found them on?

**avid fan: **Which movie is that? I can't remember any like that... But if you're talking about 'Just Like Heaven' then you're right. I love poltergeist Harry too!

**fragonknight01**: Nah, really needed the help. And I used your suggestion!

**cheers: **Thanks:)

Ooh, and thnx to **Aforlo16 **for letting me bug her about the name!


	7. Randomity and Lost Armani

**Just Like Hell **

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I think everyone's already read the summary by now so I'm not going to be typing it along with all my chapters anymore. If you haven't read it, I have no bloody clue what you're doing reading this crap.

* * *

**Chapter Seven **

"No, I think that flat was vacant."

"That was a man?"

"Umm…who're you talking about?"

"Nobody lived there."

Draco stared at the fourth door shut in his face. Harry tried to bang his head against the wall but almost fell through it instead.

"It's like I was a ghost even before I was dead," he muttered as he followed Draco to the last flat in he building. Draco shrugged at the statement and knocked on the door. A brown haired guy opened the door wearing only tight, bright pink and orange nylon shorts.

"Hey, can I help you?" he asked looking Draco over. Draco smiled back charmingly.

Harry gibbered on, "Hmmm, finally, somebody normal. I bet we were friends."

"Hi, my name's Draco. I'm a new tenant here."

"I'm Justin Finch-Fletchley. Come on in."

"He's friendly, I like him," Harry said.

Draco refused the invitation. "This'll just take a second. I have a question. The flat upstairs, it belonged to a young man. Did you know him?"

The guy ran a hand through his curly hair. "Yeah, I think there was somebody up there. But he was, like, totally antisocial."

"Okay, maybe we weren't close friends," Harry muttered.

Justin continued, "Kind of like a cat lady but without any cats. And not a lady."

Harry sighed and turned around. "Okay, I think we're done here. Let's go."

Draco said, "Okay, thank you," and turned around to leave.

"Wait," Justin said. He smiled. "I know this is so totally retro but my window's stuck. Can you help me?"

"He's got to be kidding!" Harry exclaimed.

"What?" Draco asked, confused.

"What?" Justin asked.

"What? He wants you to come in. Isn't it ,like, obvious?" Harry said, throwing a glare at Justin.

Draco smiled painfully. "Well, if it's painted shut and you use a screwdriver to jam it, it sometimes…"

Justin cut him off. "Oh, tried it. Won't budge."

"No preliminaries. Incredible," Harry said throwing his arms up in the air.

"I'd like to help, but I have dinner plans," Draco said with an awkward look.

"Well, I got dessert," Justin said coyly.

"I just threw up in my mouth," Harry muttered, pretending to gag.

"Well, okay. Nice to meet you," Draco said.

Justin seemed to understand by now that Draco meant a 'no'. "You too, Dray," Justin said with a sickeningly sweet smile.

"It's Draco. Just Draco," Draco said with his own sickeningly sweet smile that resembled one that a mother dragon might aim at someone trying to steal her eggs. With that he turned tail and walked away.

Harry scowled at the guy watching Draco's ass as he walked before running after Draco.

* * *

Harry walked behind Draco. "Who the hell does the twerp think he is?" Harry started. "I mean, who wears nylon shorts in the middle of the day?" 

"You're not coming with me anymore," Draco stated.

"Why? Something might jog my memory," Harry asked, bewildered.

"Too bad," Draco said, "You're like an AM radio someone shoved in my head and I can't turn off."

"So you don't think he was completely un-classy and predatory?"

"Those happen to be two of bisexual men's favorite things."

"Why don't you just date a pit bull?" Harry shouted out, exasperated.

"Maybe I will. Damn it!" Draco uttered.

"What?"

"I locked my key in the flat."

"There's a spare key under the fire extinguisher," Harry said absently. Draco shot him a weird look before taking the key and opening the door. He walked into the kitchen and started making dinner for himself.

"I mean, I guess he's sexy if you're into the whole tall, 6 pack, long legs, and model-y sorta thing. And are you bisexual or what? Flirting back with the guy and all that?"

"Didn't I just say so? And I wasn't even remotely flirting. I bet you're probably gay or bisexual—the way you act about that coffee table of yours! Anyways, there are five other units here, and not one person even remembers what you look like. Talk about being disconnected," Draco said.

Harry scowled as Draco looked around for a knife to cut the vegetables. "Next drawer on the left. There's a peeler in there too, if you need it."

Draco pulled open the drawer and rummaged around. "Check this out," he said.

"What is it?" Harry asked coming close.

"New leads," Draco said pulling out a matchbox and a pink receipt. He pointed at the back of the matchstick and said, "Look there's an address written on this with a black marker. I can't make that out. Is that a five or a six? I think it's a…"

"No, no, no, that's a five. Definitely a five. 425 Raven Road, Claw County," Harry interrupted. "So we have an address, a dry cleaning ticket and a book of matches. You know what that means?"

"We could start a very small fire?" Draco replied dryly.

"There's still hope," Harry responded, rolling his eyes.

* * *

"Oh, yes, these pants were jet black. Armani, I believe," the drycleaner said. 

"I remember them. They were expensive," Harry agreed.

"Do you remember anything else about the man? It's important," Draco said.

The drycleaner thought for a while before saying, "He's pleasant, but a little dull maybe."

"Dull?" Harry asked.

"Dull?" Draco echoed.

The drycleaner seemed to be pondering over that statement before replying, "I think of him—I think of sadness, loneliness."

Harry scowled. "I don't need a psychological profile from my ex-drycleaner. Can we just get the pants?"

Draco interrupted the man and asked, "Can I get the pants?"

The man shook his head. "Left them too long. We gave them to a homeless shelter."

"Are you insane? They were Armani!" Harry screamed.

"Let's go," Draco said, pulling an irate Harry away from strangling the confused looking drycleaner.

"Are you coming or not? They're pants, what do you need them for?" Draco asked as he dragged Harry out.

* * *

They drove to the address written on the back of the matchbox in Draco's Nimbus 2001. 

"What do you do anyways to afford such a car?" Harry asked.

"Nothing at the moment. My father was the one of the founders of Malfoy and Black. My mother's the CEO. I work there. I'm on a break right now."

"You mean your father was Lucius Malfoy! The Lucius Malfoy!" Harry exclaimed.

"Umm...yeah. What about it?" Draco asked uncomfortably.

"My best friend Hermione got a job offer there. She was going to take it but then found out she was pregnant with twins. Wait, how'd I know that?"

Draco grinned. "Maybe some things just trigger your memories. We can visit them too." He parked the car. "We're here. Look familiar?"

"Not really," Harry said as he floated through the car door while Draco ran up the steps and knocked on the door. A middle aged woman wearing a tartan robe and whose hair was wrapped up in a strict bun opened it. "Can I help you?" she asked Draco sharply.

"This might sound odd but I was wondering if you knew a certain man. Black hair," he said as he looked at Harry who came to stand beside him. "About five-foot-seven…"

"Eight. And a half," Harry muttered.

"Eight and a half," Draco repeated.

Suddenly the woman said, "Did my husband hire you?"

Draco blinked at the woman. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I knew he'd find out. Whatever he's paying you, I'll double it. Anything you want," the woman said in a fast rush.

"Minerva! Who is it?" a voice called from inside the house.

"That's him. Come back around six. I'll have a check ready," she said before slamming the door shut on one visibly gobsmacked face and another invisible one.

"Wow," Draco said stunned.

"What?" Harry asked gruffly. "You don't think I actually had sex with that old hag, do you?"

Draco chuckled and said, "Kind of looks that way, Harry."

"That's disgusting! I'm gay!" Harry said as he walked towards the Nimbus with his nose upturned in the air.

Draco laughed as he held the car door open for Harry. Harry looked surprised at the action but got in anyways. He could have easily come in through the car side. "Well, look on the bright side. At least I'm coming into some money."

"Like you'll need it, having your mother as a CEO of a multi-million dollar company!"

In the midst of their bickering, they didn't notice a woman come out of the house that bore the numbers 426 to check her mailbox. A woman who happened to be Lisa Turpin.

* * *

**A/N: **This chapter seems kinda eccentric to me but it was tons of fun writing this one. Didn't know whether to go for McGonagall or Figg for that woman. Can you imagine uptight strict bitch of a teacher McGonagall cheating on her husband? Laughed my head off at that.I think I might have to edit some things in this chapter later though. Feel like I've gone bonkers.

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**Replies to Anonymous Reviews:**

**Crubellelasheentaii:** thnx a ton!

**avid fan: **Ooooh, I remember it now! Completely forgot about it! That movie was hilarious. And about the story being like that movie...maybe, maybe not! Just read and find out... Though the scales are tipping in favor of 'maybe' rite now. Feel kinda buzzed and I don't blame you if you can't understand what I wrote!


	8. Blood and Blankets

**Just Like Hell **

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Oh, goody! You know those days when you oversleep coz somebody forgot to wake you up coz they didn't think you had school that day? The days when you arrive at school after the first period already started and out of all the people in the world, your principal is the one who catches you? When you spill spaghetti sauce on your shirt during lunch and your crush is in your next class...Well consider that and make it 10 times worse and you get my day. Life sux at this moment. If this chapter sux too, blame it on all the bad vibes.

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**Chapter Eight **

Draco and Harry were walking around town to get a breather after that incident. Harry seemed to be having a few epiphanies. Draco looked at his invisible-to-everyone-else-but-him companion with amusement as he prattled on.

"Oh, my god. Maybe I was a slut. A lonely, home wrecking slut who had sex with old hags even though I'm gay…" he mused, disgusted. Then, his attitude suddenly turned indignant. "So what if I was a slut? There's nothing wrong with a healthy sexual appetite!"

Draco sniggered as he shook his head. "Not at all."

"Look who I'm talking to, Mr. Tried To Feel Me Up One Time!"

"I'm trying to agree with you," Draco said, rolling his eyes.

Suddenly Harry paused. "Draco," he whispered.

"What?" Draco asked, looking over at Harry to check whether he was all right. Harry pointed at the restaurant across the street as he said, "This is it."

"You recognize it? Good." Draco pulled on Harry's hand. "Okay, come on."

Harry walked to the door of the restaurant and looked at it thoughtfully with a slight frown. "This is 'The Three Broomsticks'. I loved this restaurant."

"You ate here a lot," Draco stated.

"No," Harry said.

"No?" Draco asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, I never did. I remember looking in that window and wishing I could eat in here," Harry said pointing at a window.

"What? Were you a homeless street urchin? Why didn't you?" Draco asked.

"I wanted to," Harry replied slowly as memories of staring woefully at this restaurant during breaks when he needed to take a break from working ran through his mind. He must have worked somewhere close by. "I just never got around to it. Maybe the dry cleaner guy was right about me."

Draco sighed at Harry's newfound bout of pessimism and pulled him into the restaurant. A waiter came up to them with the name, 'Ernie McMillan' on his nametag. "Hello, can I help you?" he asked Draco.

"No, thank you. Maybe some other time," he said as he looked around the restaurant. It was just like any other restaurant. He wondered why Harry had wanted to eat here so much before he died, that is if he had actually died (Harry _did _keep on claiming to be alive, after all).

Suddenly there was a shout, "Dennis!" as a man fell down from his chair and lay still on the floor.

* * *

The whole restaurant seemed to burst into action. A woman with a curvy sort of figure and a pretty face rushed out from behind the reception desk and started shouting at the waiters to call for an ambulance. The waiter, who had come to serve them, Ernie, scurried away. The people in the restaurant started crowding around the fallen man. 

"Are you okay?"

"Undo his collar!"

"Is he breathing?"

"I can't tell."

"Maybe we should do mouth-to-mouth."

"God! We need a doctor."

"We really have to find a doctor."

"Is there a doctor here? Anyone?"

Suddenly Harry gave Draco a sharp nudge with his elbow and whispered, "Feel his chest."

"What?"

"His chest, check and see if it's bloated," Harry said urgently.

"How would I know?" Draco asked, baffled.

"Just do it!"

Draco rolled his eyes and started pushing his way through the crowd. "Excuse me. Pardon me. I need to feel his chest."

He crouched down beside the fallen guy who seemed to have stopped breathing. "Can you feel his ribs?" Harry asked from behind Draco. Draco shivered at the air blowing into his ear. He absently speculated on how dead people could exhale air as he pushed the guy's chest. "No, but I can if I press down."

The woman who had rushed out from behind the reception desk and who seemed to be the manager of the restaurant huddled down beside Draco, kicking off her glittery heels to help better. "Do you know what you're doing?" she asked him.

"Does he feel bloated?" Harry asked.

"I think so," Draco responded.

"Think what?" the woman asked in a hysterical voice.

"Tell them you'll need a sharp paring knife and a bottle of vodka," Harry whispered.

"I need a sharp paring knife and a bottle of vodka," Draco told the woman.

She hesitated for a second before looking at the man on the floor, then at Draco muttering into the air and then finally at the waiters. They ran in all directions trying to find the stuff.

"Yeah, I got it, Madam Rosmerta," Ernie said as he handed over the required items to Draco.

"What's wrong?" Madam Rosmerta asked Draco.

"It's a tension pneumothorax," Harry said.

"It's a tension nemothaxer," Draco repeated.

"Pneumothorax," Harry corrected.

"Pneumothaxer," Draco said.

"Pneumothorax," Harry repeated.

"Pneumothurman," Draco said to the confused Madam Rosmerta.

"Never mind," Harry said in frustration.

"Never mind!" Draco screamed.

"But what is it?" she asked frightened.

"Air is escaping out of the lungs into his chest," Harry said.

"…out of his lungs into his chest," Draco said faintly.

"Open his shirt," Harry said.

"Open his shirt," Draco repeated.

"No, you do it," Harry said.

"I'll do it," Draco said to the befuddled and scared looking woman who was probably imagining being sued to hell and back again as he pulled the guy's shirt open.

"A valve at the opening of the lungs. If it doesn't close, it constricts the lungs and compresses the organs. I want you to feel for his ribs again. A little bit lower. The spot between those two ribs, do you feel that? Okay, splash some vodka on it. All right, get the knife," Harry instructed Draco.

"Okay," Draco nodded and said, "Can I ask everyone just to stand back a little bit here? A little bit further, please. A little bit further. Thank you," Draco said as he took in a deep breath.

"What am I doing with the knife?" he asked. Madam Rosmerta stared at Draco with wide scared eyes and was probably trying to remember her lawyer's phone number.

"Make an incision," Harry instructed.

Draco took in a deep breath before saying, "You know what? No."

"Draco, this man's life is at stake!" Harry said.

"I- I can't stab a man," Draco whispered. Harry put his hands on Draco's shoulders and started massaging them. "Okay, there's nothing to be afraid of. You just have to make a hole for the air to escape. So put the knife on that spot."

"Oh, my God," Draco whispered as he did so. "How do you know this?"

"I don't know," Harry whispered back, "I just do. Now do it! Put the knife there. Now, you have to push harder than that. A little bit harder."

"Oh, God," Draco said as he pressed the knife into the guy.

"Okay! Okay, good! That's enough. All right, now, take the pourer out of the vodka bottle."

"What?" Draco asked Harry. The man suddenly convulsed. Draco fell backwards at the sight. Harry caught him and pushed him back upright.

"You're doing well. Now put the pourer in the hole you made."

"What?"

"It's going to keep the wound open so that the air can escape. Do it!" Harry shrieked.

"I can't," Draco whispered.

"Do it!" he shrieked again. Draco closed his eyes and did it. A moment later, Harry laughed into his neck. He felt the hair on the back of his neck tingling. "He's breathing," Harry whispered.

Draco opened his eyes and looked at the man. Harry was right, the man had started taking in quick shallow breaths but he was breathing!

"He's breathing!" Draco shouted. Madam Rosmerta copied Draco. "He's breathing!" The crowd around them started cheering.

Suddenly Harry had another epiphany (except this one happened to be true) and shouted, "I'm a doctor."

"I'm a doctor!" Draco shouted, repeating Harry.

Madam Rosmerta started shaking Draco's hand vigorously. "I know. Thank God! The ambulance will be here right away."

Harry nudged Draco. "Ask her where the nearest hospital is."

Draco turned towards the woman. "Do you know where the nearest hospital is?"

"A few blocks away, Hogwarts Hospital," she replied with a grateful smile.

"Thank you," Draco said. Harry manoeuvred a still dazed Draco from the cheering crowds, out of the restaurant and onto the streets.

"Hogwarts?" Draco repeated. Harry smiled at him. Draco felt something swoop in him at that smile but steadfastly ignored it.

"I may have been a home wrecking whore, but I saved lives! I worked in that hospital. I know it, it sounds so familiar!" Harry shouted.

"I've never saved a life before," Draco said feebly.

"It's the best!" Harry exclaimed. "One minute you're looking at this monitor and it says 'game over' but then you do something and you bring it back, a little blip and it's there!"

Suddenly Draco stopped on the pavement in the middle of Harry's ramblings and stared at his hand. "What's that?"

Harry took a look at his hand and said, "Oh, that's just a little blood," as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Draco?" Harry asked as his companion fainted on the pavement.

* * *

Draco lay in bed that night, thinking of the day's events. He grinned as he thought about the life he saved that day. He just wished he knew something like that when Daphne…when Daphne… Shit, he still couldn't say it. He burrowed into his comforter. He turned around and looked at the digital clock. It was almost 1 a.m., yet he couldn't sleep. He wondered if Harry was sleeping. Did ghosts even sleep? 

He got up and walked into the living room where Harry was lying down on the couch. Draco almost gasped at the sight. Harry's white shirt was slightly unbuttoned showing a hint of golden skin. He just looked so gorgeous like that. Draco smiled at the sight and shivered due to the cold breeze blowing in the living room. He went to the closet and pulled out a blanket. He walked back to Harry and laid the blanket over him.

He groaned at his forgetfulness as the blanket floated through Harry to settle on the couch. He wondered how Harry could even lie on the couch without passing through it. How could he have forgotten that Harry was just a ghost in the first place? He sighed. He would miss Harry when he left. He walked back into his bedroom and slipped into his bed. He felt a chill that didn't have anything to do with the cold.

Harry opened his eyes and smiled in the direction of the bedroom.

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**A/N: **I have no clue whether a tension pneumo-whatever-it-is even exists in the first place or not.So how'd this chapter come out? I thought it was pretty okay. Actually, I thought it was awesomely hilarious! (so much for modesty, eh?)

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**Replies to Anonymous Reviews:**

**draco'sgirl: **thnq! Wish I knew what was going to happen next too...

**Crubellelasheentaii: **Sure thing! I tried saying da word 'crubellelasheentaii' repeatedly. (ya, what a weird way to pass time) The wordz like a tongue twister. Try it out!


	9. Standing On My Own

**Just Like Hell **

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I was about to post this da day before yesterday but while I was editing it, we had a thunder storm, the electricity lines got cut and I lost every fricking thing! Spent da whole of yesterday sulking over it and finally did everything over again today. So here you have the next chapter.

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**Chapter Nine **

Draco and Harry walked down the long, decorative hospital corridors of Hogwarts to the reception desk. "I worked here," Harry murmured.

"You did?" Draco whispered back. The receptionist, a pretty Indian girl looked up and smiled at him.

"The receptionist, her name is Parvati. It's all coming back to me now. There's Dean and Lisa and Terry and…" Harry trailed off.

Draco approached the desk and said, "My name's Draco Malfoy and ummm…do you know a Harry who works here?"

The receptionist frowned. "Harry? You mean Harry Potter?"

Harry whooped. "Potter! Yes, that's my name."

Draco nodded with a smile. "Yes, that's it. Harry Potter."

The receptionist hesitated. "Dr. Potter is…not active on our staff right now. Hold on. Let me talk to someone." She got up and approached a doctor near the reception desk.

"Oh no," Harry said apprehensively, "she's got _that_ tone."

"What tone?" Draco asked with a brief glance towards the receptionist conferring with the doctor. He turned back to a pale and very white-faced Harry.

"The tone," he said fearfully. "When they're trying to pass the buck onto somebody else to tell you your friend died!"

The receptionist came back. "Excuse me, sir. I need you to go to the third floor nurses' station."

Harry pulled on Draco's sleeve. "Come on, I'll show you the way."

* * *

They walked in silence towards the nurses' station where a grey haired man came to meet them. "Oh no, it's Remus!" Harry gasped. "He's my mentor. They wouldn't send us to him unless it was really bad!" 

"Mr. Malfoy?" the amber-eyed man asked, looking at Draco speculatively.

"Yes," Draco responded.

"Dr. Remus Lupin," the man said holding an arm out. Draco shook it. "Nice to meet you."

"You've been inquiring about Harry Potter?" Remus asked in a suspicious tone.

"Right," Draco replied coolly. "Could you tell me what happened to him?"

"I need to know your relationship with him first," he stated.

"Tell him you're my boyfriend. He can't tell you anything unless he knows we're intimately connected," Harry whispered to Draco.

"We were romantic with each other," Draco said with a light blush.

"What do you mean?" Remus asked in an odd tone with disbelief colouring his words.

"You know, boyfriend-girlfriend, only it was boyfriend-boyfriend in our case," Draco said, his blush deepening.

"I know what romantic means, but I have a hard time believing that!" Remus exclaimed.

"What? Why?" Draco and Harry both asked at the same time.

Remus shrugged. "Harry's whole life was this hospital."

"_'Was'_? Did he say_ 'was'_?" Harry asked tensely.

"I don't know of a single date he'd ever been on," Remus continued.

"We were fairly recent. I live in his apartment…" Draco explained.

"Draco," Harry said urgently.

"Building," Draco finished.

"So you don't know about the accident?" Remus asked.

"Accident?" Draco intoned.

"Oh, God, Draco. I remember it," Harry said in a small voice from behind him. "It was awful."

"I was…I've been away," Draco said distressfully as he kept an eye on a shaking Harry while lending half an ear to the conversation.

"It was three months ago," Remus said with a choked tone.

"Three months…" Harry repeated in a daze.

"I'm sorry," Remus said in the same tone.

"I was away for awhile on a business trip," Draco said clutching his hand into a fist. At least, that's what it looked like to Remus Lupin. He was actually holding Harry's hand in his own. As tightly as he could.

* * *

After Remus had said 'accident', neither Draco nor Harry heard anymore. Remus had looked at Draco with a sympathetic face as he dragged the shocked Malfoy through a few corridors to a private room. Many people dealt worse than this when they were given news of their close ones' suffering or deaths. He pushed Draco into the private room and closed the door. Harry drifted through the door. Draco stared at the bed and then back at Harry's ghost. 

"Oh my God. It's you," Draco said pointing at the bed. "It's you, it's really, really you," Draco said walking towards body lying on the bed. "You're…you're not dead, you're alive!"

"I know, Draco, but I'm in a coma. This is not good," Harry said as he stared at himself on the bed. He looked so peaceful, so calm and so dead just lying there.

"Well, it's better than dead. Look at you. Your body is healing, it's… You don't have any scars except for that weird one on your forehead. You look... rather good," Draco said as he stared at Harry's body in fascination.

"I got that one in the car crash my parents died in. And it doesn't matter how I look," Harry said. "Three months, that's a persistent coma. Not good. Not at all."

"Well, we're here now. Let's do something!" Draco said exuberantly.

"Like what?" Harry asked.

"Like…I don't know! You're the doctor!"

"Right. Right. I need to find a way to put myself together again."

"Okay, good. That's great. How do we do that?"

Harry laid himself over his body and slowly sunk into it. "Maybe I should try this. Something's happening!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah! I think it's working!" Draco cried out.

"Yeah?" Harry asked poking his head out of his body.

Draco stared at him before shaking his head. "No."

"Let me try again."

"Really focus on it. Hold on inside there."

"I'm not sticking! It's like I'm no longer connected to this body," Harry said in frustration as he pulled himself out. Draco came up beside him and turned him around. "What?"

"I want to try something," he replied. Draco ran his hand up Harry's thigh. The real Harry's body. Spirit Harry shivered. "You felt that," Draco said.

"My thigh tingled."

"You're still connected to your body then."

Harry looked at the monitor beside the bed. "The monitor doesn't agree."

"Machines don't know everything," Draco said.

"Everything in my training tells me they do."

"Then how are we having this conversation?"

"I don't know," Harry replied sadly. Suddenly Remus stuck his head in. "Mr. Malfoy? I'm sorry. I have an appointment, and I can't leave you here unattended."

"Can I just have a couple more minutes, please? I'm saying goodbye," Draco said in a pitiful tone.

"Of course," Remus agreed at once when faced with those wide and lost silver eyes.

"Thanks," Draco said as Remus closed the door once more.

Harry walked over to the window and stared at the stuff on the sill. He touched some of the craftwork on the wall that looked like it was going to fall apart any second. "Zoë and Lily must have made these things for me."

"Who are they?"

Harry looked startled for a second before he slowly said, "Ron's and Hermione's kids. Twins..."

Draco smiled at a drawing of Harry by one of his best friends' children. "Wow, that's an amazing likeness." The drawing showed a stick figure with a few blobs here and there to depict facial features and a large circle where the stomach should have been. Harry smiled and looked at the other things on the windowsill when something caught his eye.

"Look at this," Harry said pointing to a photo frame. "That's the picture from my nightstand. Hermione must have brought it."

Draco picked it up. He recognized a younger Harry in the middle beside a young woman with curly brown hair and a lanky man with red hair. "You look great," he said as he touched Harry's face in the photo.

Harry looked at his body sadly. "Look at me now. These levels aren't changing, Draco. If anything, they're decreasing."

Draco glanced towards the door again. "I'm going to have to leave soon."

"Alright," Harry whispered.

"Want me to wait downstairs in the lobby?"

"No, no, that's sweet. You should go. Thank you for helping me," Harry said in a dead voice.

"It was my pleasure," Draco replied. He hesitated. "Are you sure you don't want to come back with me? After all, it's your apartment."

Harry shook his head. "After I made it here, I- I can't imagine leaving myself, you know?"

"Okay, I know, I just…It just feels weird leaving you here alone."

"I don't know where else I belong," Harry said in a broken voice.

"Mr. Malfoy. I'm sorry," Remus Lupin said as he opened the door and stood at the door's entrance.

Draco walked towards the door before stopping and staring at the room. "Goodbye, Harry."

"Goodbye," Harry replied morosely.

The door shut.

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**A/N: **Aaaaw, that sounded as though they'd never meet each other again or something! For all of those who asked whether this was another 'Someone being stuck in a coma' story...well, there you have it. Will be updating da next chapter by day after tomorrow hopefully!

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**cheers:** i luvd da end scene too! (gushes over draco) 

**Crubellesheentaii:** thnq! i ended up saying 'Cow bells are sheenter' by da end! So how'd this chap go?


	10. Mischief, Thou Art Afoot

**Just Like Hell **

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Only one more week of skool left! So can't wait for it to end. Til then, herez da next chapter!

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**Chapter Ten **

Harry kept on trying for the next few hours to get back into his body with no avail. Frustrated, he just started walking, not noticing where he was heading but his feet seeming to remember what his mind was too bothered to. He found himself standing in the nurses' station, halfway towards the coffee machine. He stopped himself in time from reaching out towards a coffee cup. It wasn't as if he could drink anything anyway.

He looked around the room and spotted Lisa, Dean, Padma and Terry sitting in a circle in the back of the room. He made his way towards them.

"Oh, I hate this," Lisa was saying, "He finally gets a life, and then…"

"You know what? The guy was so sexy," Padma said dreamily.

"At least Harry got a chance to hang with him for a little while," Dean asserted resolutely.

"Yeah, It would've been awful if he'd gone through his entire life not knowing what it was all about," Terry added.

Harry walked out of the room (through the wall), unable to stand the conversation any longer. He was in the storeroom. "Oh, my god. Lavender?" he asked in disbelief. Lavender and the storekeeper, Seamus Finnegan, were kissing their tonsils out in the storeroom. Tilting his head, he squinted at the pair. "No wonder I could never find you."

He walked out of the storeroom as well, not wanting to see face sucking face anymore. He came into the attending physician's room only to see Zacharias Smith swivelling on his chair lazily while talking on the phone.

"I guess you got my job," Harry muttered.

"Yeah. I think I've earned it. I deserve it," Zach said, talking into the phone.

"Everything you thought it would be?" Harry asked bitterly.

"It is. And it's time to upgrade from the Intel Pentium 4 to the new version," Zach said still talking on the phone. "I'm going to the dealer tonight. Hold on. It's Dumbledore, I have to take this. Hello? Really? You want me to do it? Sure, of course I can."

Harry watched angrily as Zach just hung up on Dumbledore and went back talking to his friend.

"Dude, did you know I can get a built-in jack for my iPod?"

"Do you know there are people out there dying? I'm in a coma, have you noticed?" Harry screamed at Zach.

"I know. Sweet!" Zach said into the phone.

Harry gritted his teeth and walked out of the office before the urge to kill Zacharias Smith got any stronger. He was walking back to the room where his body was when he felt two toddlers run through him. He stopped to stare at them.

"Zoe? Lily?" he said in a hushed voice as he watched Hermione's and Ron's kids run down the corridor. "Oh my god, you two got so big!" he blurted out as he ran after them into his private room.

"Beat ya!" one of them cried.

"Did not!" the other one shouted.

"Did too!" the first one shouted back.

Harry watched with a smile as they both fought on his bedside. Suddenly one of them toppled onto his body. He frowned at that.

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"How come I could feel Draco but I can't feel you guys?" he whispered.

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

Hermione and Ron burst into the room then. "Hermione, Ron!" Harry shouted. Hermione walked up to her kids and pulled them off Harry's body. Ron held onto one squirming twin while Hermione took the other. "I remember your mother saying no running and no screaming!" Ron said to his charge. Harry chuckled at Ron's fatherhood responsibilities.

Harry looked at his best friend. "Ron, can you feel me? Hermione?" But neither of them took any notice. Ron rapped his charge lightly on the head. "All right, chill, I'm serious," he said.

"I guess not," Harry said and sighed.

Hermione let go of her twin and pulled Ron's hand. They both stood beside Harry's body. Hermione brushed back the hair on his forehead. "I hope you feel better, Harry."

"Yeah, get well soon, mate," Ron said.

Harry smiled at his best friends. "I love you guys. It's so sweet of you two to come and visit me. And I really miss…"

Suddenly a voice interrupted his monologue. "Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, pleased to meet you."

Hermione turned towards the voice and nodded. Ron said, "Hi."

Zacharias Smith entered the room with a clipboard. He held out a hand to both of them. Harry gasped as Zach's hand passed through his stomach as he shook hands with both of his best friends. "Dr. Smith. Could I have a quick word?"

"Sure, what do you want?" Ron asked.

"First of all, I hope you know how much we all love and miss Harry," Zach began. Harry snorted. "Puh-lease. He's doing high fives he's not in Phoenix."

"Because he was a senior resident here, we've taken some extraordinary measure to make him feel more comfortable these last three months."

Hermione nodded.

Zach cleared his throat. "This is hard to say...when we come to work here, we are asked to sign release forms."

"Okay," Hermione said.

"I don't like the sound of this," Harry murmured.

"Did you know your friend's opinion about artificially prolonging life?" Zach asked.

"No," Ron replied tersely.

"He was against it."

"Really?" Hermione asked.

"Okay, that was before. I am so COMPLETELY for it now," Harry shouted.

"Honestly," Zach continued, "Most in our profession feel that way."

"Not me! I'm perfectly happy," Harry cried out. He walked over to Ron. "Come on, Ron! You have got to feel me! I'm your best friend, your foster brother, your best man at your wedding, feel me here!" Frustrated he walked over to Hermione and started shaking his hands over her face. She slightly shivered as she devoted her complete attention towards Dr. Smith.

"But there's still some brain activity, isn't there?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, people have got to have woken up from this kind of coma!" Ron said.

"All the time," Harry agreed, nodding profusely.

"Not on any record I've found," Zach said.

"Of course they have! Otherwise, what am I doing here?" Harry shouted. Suddenly he doubled up and held a hand to his mouth. "I feel car sick." He turned to see Zoe and Lily tampering with the remote controls of his bed. His body was now folded in two.

Hermione turned at that moment and glared at her kids. "TV is going to become a very dim memory for you two." While Ron went to pull his kids away from the bed, Zach pursed his lips and pressed the buttons to straighten the bed out again.

He turned back to Ron and Hermione. "Harry did sign a release. Because of the special situation, we won't take any terminal action without your explicit approval. Now I've prepared this paperwork…" Zach said showing Ron and Hermione the papers attached to his clipboard.

"Don't sign that! I'm here!" Harry screamed in panic.

"If you decide to sign…"

Hermione cut him off. "We'll think about it."

"Hermione, I'll baby-sit more, I swear! Ron, that couch you love? It's yours!" Harry shouted to his best friends.

Zach cleared his throat. "We sometimes find that it's easier just to ask for God's forgiveness and not prolong the inevitable."

"She said we'll think about it," Ron said angrily.

"Thank you, guys. You've always looked out for me," Harry whispered as he watched his best friends leave with their twins.

* * *

Draco paced around in his living room. Unable to take the oppressing silence, he called out. "You here, Harry?" He waited for an answer before whispering, "I guess not." 

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. He opened the door to find Justin Finch-Fletchey leaning on his doorframe. "I'm locked out," Justin said with a wide smile.

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**A/N: **I don't like this chapter much. It doesn't feel right.

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**Crubellesheentai: **thnx a TON!


	11. Loosen Up Those Buttons

**Just Like Hell **

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Skoolz up! I'm gonna _try_ and finish this fic b4 summer vacation endz in June.

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**Chapter Eleven **

Draco sat on his couch, holding his head up with a hand as Justin walked around his apartment.

"Doesn't this location look amazing? You can even see the river from your place. All you can see from mine is an old granny in the next house. What's with all the single men in this town anyway? Every time I meet a good-looking guy…lesbian. It's tough. I'd get on the phone and be like, 'Hello? Voldesmort? Communism is so over. Like, give your people toilet paper.' So, like, if I had to choose? If I had to choose. Wow. I guess I'd have to go with the crazy."

Draco lifted his head up from the couch and raised an eyebrow. _What the hell was this guy blabbering on about? _"I'm sorry…"

"The locksmith, does he know to ring my unit?" Justin asked flippantly, lazily turning the pages of a phonebook.

"I think so."

"Where's your bathroom?"

"It's a right down the hall there," Draco said, getting up and pointing out the way. Justin gave Draco a flirtatious wink (or what could have been considered a flirtatious wink by a sex addict high on drugs) before walking down the corridor, shaking his hips all the way.

Draco sneered at the sight as he shook his head. He had no clue how he could get Justin to understand that he wasn't interested for the last time. He turned around, only to bump into a solid figure. He was ready to bodily haul Justin out of his apartment when he realized who it was.

"Harry, it's you!"

* * *

Harry nodded. "Yeah."

Draco stared at him. "I just…I didn't think you were going to come back. I thought you were going to stay at the hospital with your body."

Harry bit his trembling lip. "It's terrible! They're trying to get my best friends to sign papers authorizing permission to take me off life support!"

"What? No! They can't do that!" Draco shouted.

Harry sighed in defeat. "I know. I said that. Nobody could hear me. And I just wanted to talk to you."

Suddenly there was a shout. "Draco!"

"Just a minute!" Draco called back.

Harry stared in the direction of the voice. "Well, that didn't take very long now, did it?"

Draco shook his head. "No. No, he just barged in. He got locked out of his apartment."

"You don't have to explain. I get it."

Draco's hands reached out to grab Harry's shoulders. "No, you don't get anything. He's using the bathroom…"

Harry shrugged Draco's arms off him. "His voice sounded like it came from the bedroom…"

"It did?" Draco asked.

Suddenly, Justin poked his head out. "Come here," he said gesturing to Draco. "I want to show you something." He smiled mischievously before closing the bedroom door again.

"I had no idea that…" Draco started.

"You had no idea that he was naked on your bed?" Harry asked, disbelief evident in his voice.

"No," Draco stated.

Harry gave him a look. "You're wondering what he looks like."

"No, I'm not."

"A little?" Harry asked.

"Not enough to go look," Draco replied stolidly.

Harry smiled falsely. "Tell you what. I'll do a little recon for you," he said, walking towards the bedroom door.

"Don't!" Draco shouted. Harry rolled his eyes at Draco.

"Don't worry. I'm a doctor," he said before sticking his head in through the door.

"Harry! No, no, no, no, no!" Draco murmured, trying to pull him out.

"Relax," Harry whispered as he stuck his head out. "He's got a tattoo on his ass. It says, 'All aboard'."

"Really?" Draco asked sarcastically.

"In three different languages," Harry said with a convincing nod.

"Oh, that's funny," Draco said with a smirk.

"He's very cultural," Harry agreed.

Draco's smirk became more prominent. "You know, you sound like you're jealous."

"Oh, please," Harry muttered.

"You do."

"Are you talking to someone?" Justin asked standing at the bedroom door completely naked. Draco stared at him.

Justin shrugged. "Look, I'm sorry if I'm coming on a little too strong. That's just my style." He walked over to Draco and began to run a hand down Draco's chest.

"I hear you sometimes. Up here…by yourself…and I just figured…maybe he's lonely. I know I am." His hand travelled lower and lower down Draco's body.

"Is it wrong for me to touch someone?" Justin asked as his hand began to rub Draco.

"To be close?" Justin pulled Draco towards himself and pressed them together.

"To feel a warm body next to me?" He wrapped his arms around Draco.

Draco struggled against it. He looked helplessly towards Harry. Harry sighed. "Draco, just do it."

Draco stared open mouthed at Harry. "What?"

"Go ahead, be with him. It's what you both want."

"No, it isn't," Draco shouted.

"Are you all right?" Justin asked. "Do you like umm… want to take some kind of medication first? It's cool if you do."

"Draco, it's okay," Harry said. "He's good looking, and he's right in front of you. And I'm just in the way." Harry smiled sadly and began to walk away.

"No, you're not, Harry," Draco cried out, "Harry!"

"It's Justin," Justin said from beside him. Draco turned his furious storm-eyed gaze on him. Justin began to draw back, every instinct in his body telling him to run as fast as he could. Draco drew closer to the man. This man was going to pay for what he had done. He would make sure of that.

* * *

"That was quick," Harry said when Draco walked into the balcony. Harry was standing near the railing.

"Come on, nothing happened," Draco retorted as he joined Harry.

"What'd you say to him?"

Draco blushed and muttered something about not having to say anything, that actions were enough. Harry raised an eyebrow. Draco wondered if Harry had picked it up from him.

"I said I was seeing someone," he finally said.

"Honestly?" Harry questioned.

Draco chuckled. "Well, I didn't mention that I was the only person who could." Harry snickered.

Draco became sober. "You know, I haven't…haven't really been with anyone since…since Daphne."

He could feel the tears misting in his eyes, but never falling as he finally spoke to someone about her death. Harry turned a worried face towards him.

"She was cursing at her shoe. Her heel had broken. And then…and then she just kind of sat down and…and put her hand to her head…" Draco said haltingly.

"Cerebral haemorrhage?" Harry asked.

Draco nodded with a jerk. "And I…I couldn't do anything to help her. She was, like, gone. I couldn't even say goodbye, and she was just…gone."

Harry wrapped an arm around Draco's shoulders and pulled him towards himself. "What was she like?"

"She was a big pain in the ass," Draco said and smiled at the look of confusion and disbelief on Harry's face. "No, really. I mean the bras on the doorknobs, leaving the car with the gas needle below empty. She couldn't put gas in the car. It was impossible for her. And just a total inability to master a remote. So she would just randomly click buttons, until the TV was snarled into some unmanageable condition. I mean, I'm so mad just thinking…thinking about her."

"I'm sorry, Draco. I really am..."

They stood in silence looking at the smoggy sky of the city. Draco looked at Harry. "Your best friends really wouldn't sign those papers, would they?"

"I don't know," Harry whispered.

"I hope not," Draco said.

Harry shrugged. "Won't even matter if I don't wake up soon. My brain activity's decreasing every day."

Draco smiled. "Maybe that's not such a bad thing. You're kind of a smarty-pants. It'll just bring you down to my level."

Harry smiled back. "You're not dumb, Draco, just a little lazy. Cute, but lazy."

Draco laughed. "Thank you, I guess. I wasn't always like this, you know."

"What were you like then?" Harry asked.

Draco smiled wistfully. "I was a carbon copy of my father. I used to be ruthless, cold and completely vindictive. I was so bad that I made Cho Chang, the most popular and stuck up girl at uni cry and refuse to even come fifteen steps near me." He grinned as he remembered what he had just done to Justin. "Still am sometimes. I really wasn't that close to my mother. My father was my whole world."

His smile left his face. "Then he died. It was as if I had just lost my centre of gravity. I just drifted around, working myself to death at the company. Mother tried everything to help but nothing worked. Then I met Daphne and I fell hard. Then she died and I felt like I was drifting again. When I get attached to a person, it's just so strong. Blaise, my psychologist friend says I have issues. That's putting it mildly."

He suddenly noticed that Harry had been massaging his back all the while to relieve some of his tension. He smiled at him. "Come on, I need some sleep," he said pulling athe balcony door open. "I want to show you something tomorrow morning."

* * *

**A/N:**The words just kept on slipping and nothing seemed right for this chapter... So does this chapter seem alright? I also hope this chap explains why Draco's the way he is... And I finally put Cho in! Though itz kind of a minor part...Justin's out of the way at least with this chap!

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**kaze: **aaaw, tht wz so sweet...thankz so much! 

**Crubellelasheentaii: **glad ur still around! hope this chap is as gud as all da otherz!


	12. Scented Drivel

**Just Like Hell**

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Yawn. So sleepy...

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**Chapter Twelve**

"Where are we?" Harry asked as he walked past the side gate Draco had opened.

"It's an estate. The owners don't live here anymore," Draco replied.

"Are we trespassing?"

Draco chuckled. "Not really, considering the fact I own it."

Harry stared at Draco.

Draco shrugged and started to explain. "I stopped living here after Father died. Mother got a house in the city three years ago to be closer to the company. Here it is."

Harry looked around the part of the estate they were standing in, his eyes widening in shock and surprise. It was a beautiful rose garden. A heavenly scent hung about the place as roses of various unique colours grew about the place looking like glass dolls—delicate and fragile yet at the same time, exquisitely wondrous. What made it surprising was that it was exactly identical to the one he had been dreaming about the day he had the accident.

"What is this place?" he asked in a hushed voice.

"This is my favourite place in the world. I used to come here all the time when I was young. Had some pretty great memories here," Draco said as he looked around the place reminiscing about the past.

He looked down when he felt a tug on his shirt only to see a pale faced Harry clutching onto his sleeve like a lifeline.

"Draco, I've been here before."

Draco gave him a weird look. "What do you mean?"

"I know this is going to sound really strange, but I dreamed of this place," Harry said gesturing around the garden. "These flowers, that bench, everything. I was dreaming about them the day I had the accident."

Draco frowned and was about to answer when his cell phone started ringing.

"Who the hell is calling me now?" he asked himself as he pulled his phone out.

* * *

"Hello? 

"Draaaco, this is Pansy. Well, you're a pretty lucky man it seems."

"Thanks. Why?" he said shoryly.

"Great news, the apartment is yours. And they're willing to give you a nice long lease."

"How long a lease?" Draco asked curiously.

"Really long. I'm going to send it over and I'll talk to you tomorrow," Pansy said on the phone, ready to put it down.

"Wait, wait, wait," Draco shouted on the phone. "Why are they giving me a long lease now?"

"It's a terrible story. The tenant was in some kind of coma. Now they're going to pull the plug. But get this: they're going to throw in the couch you like!" Pansy said in an excited voice. A dull beep answered her. Draco had hung up again.

* * *

"Umm…Draco, where are you going?" Harry asked as Draco pulled him out of the garden and into his car.

"We have to talk to your friends. Give me the directions and what kind of dirt do you have on them?" Draco said in a hurry as he started the car and sped out of the lane where they had parked in.

"Make your way towards Hogwarts. It's pretty simple going to their house from there. And well, ummm…Ron's shit scared of spiders. Hermione's middle name is Jane. She told everybody that it was Leia, as in Princess Leia in the eighth grade."

"What else?"

"Fred and George dyed all of Ron's boxers pink in high school and Hermione's lactose intolerant. Ron won't be home right now anyways. He'll be at work."

"Then forget Ron. But I need something more on Hermione. Something really intimate and so personal…"

"I caught Hermione and her bridesmaid's date French-kissing five minutes before her wedding."

Draco spluttered. "Why the fuck were they doing that?"

Harry shrugged. "Hermione was having a nervous breakdown seconds before the wedding. She wasn't sure whether or not she was making the right choice. Ron's sister and Hermione's bridesmaid, Ginny decided to help her out by having her date to the wedding French-kiss Hermione so she could make up her mind. I walked in right about then to tell them that Ron and I were starting. Hermione was still scared about the wedding until I told her that Ron was nearly pissing in his pants upstairs thinking about her. That reminded her how much she loved Ron again."

Draco laughed. "I think I could like her already!"

Harry scowled. "Don't you dare! Ron's going to rip you into pieces!"

Draco shot Harry a curious look but didn't reply. Inside, he was doing a triumphant dance. Harry had been jealous!

* * *

"So how did you know Harry? You must've worked together. God knows he wasn't dating anybody!" Hermione said to Draco. They were standing in her kitchen as her twins were having a tea party at their toddler table. Harry sighed and sat down with the twins at their table. "Everybody likes to rub that in."

One of the twins—Lily, he realized from the name chain around her neck had run out of the room when he had sat down. He looked at Zoe who was making her dolls dress up for the tea party.

Draco cast Harry a glance and Harry knew Draco was going to tell Hermione the truth. Something that he knew she would refuse to believe being the practical person she was. He started waving his hands in the air. "Lie your butt off! Don't freak her out."

Draco sighed before turning to Hermione and saying, "We worked together."

"No!" Harry shouted.

"No," Draco said quickly. Hermione frowned in confusion.

"No, no, no. You're not credible as a doctor. Make something up!" Harry exclaimed.

Draco quickly covered up. "I mean, I didn't work with him. We worked together on my illness."

Meanwhile, Lily ran back in and placed a toy plate in front of Harry. Harry looked up at her. She got a cookie and put it on the plate. She looked directly at Harry. Harry gasped.

"I was a patient of his," Draco went on.

"Lily?" Harry asked, "Can you see me?"

"I was sick. I had meningitis."

Lily gave Harry an enigmatic smile before going back to playing with her sister. Harry reluctantly turned back to Draco and Hermione.

"Spiral Meningitis," Draco said.

"Spiral Meningitis? It's not even a disease," Harry muttered.

"I haven't heard of that before. I'm sorry," Hermione said sympathetically.

"It's a very rare strain," Draco said. "It's much better now anyway. Harry, he believed in me, believed that I would recover when nobody else did. And then I did."

"That sounds just like him," Hermione said with a faint smile. "But why are you telling me all this?"

"Because I know about Harry's situation and I just want to say that…"

Harry looked at the girl again. She was pouring juice into his toy teacup. "Lily?"

"…there are things…"

"You know I'm here, don't you?" The girl kept on playing but gave Harry a quick look.

"…sometimes that are beyond out understanding. And so, I just wanted to ask you… Actually, I just want to beg you to…to give him a little more time. He's going to pull through this thing. I just know it," Draco ended pathetically.

"That's really sweet of you to say, but I'm sorry... It's kind of too late now."

* * *

**A/N: **Yeah, I know... not the gr8est place ever to stop but I had to stop somewhere! And I'm so _sleepy..._ Gonna go 2 bed now. yawn. yawn. yawn. 


	13. Butchered Truth

**Just Like Hell**

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Hehehe...I've got to clarify some thingz first. You see, the last chapter wasn't _actually_ supposed to be a cliffy. When I wrote that I meant something else. But when I read the reviews I realized that people took it as a cliffhanger. I reread the chapter and finally understood wht they meant. Then I rewrote some parts of this chapter to fit the way you ppl thought. Thtz wht took me so long. Now enough with the blabbering and on with the story!

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**Chapter Thirteen**

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_"That's really sweet of you to say, but I'm sorry... It's kind of too late now."_

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Harry looked up at that. "Hermione, what do you mean?" he whispered. He got up and walked over to her.

"Hermione, what did you do?" he screamed in frustration into her face. She didn't even blink. Draco winced.

Hermione looked straight at Draco and said, "It's Draco, right? You see, it's too late because I've already signed the papers."

Harry felt tears fall. "Hermione, I'm here. Can't you feel me? I'm right here."

"We're terminating the life support tomorrow at noon, when the girls are in school. I mean, the past three months have been so hard on them, on this whole family..." Hermione's voice ended in a low whisper.

"Well, I understand that. I truly do. But I think you're making a grave mistake here, because I really believe…" Draco started.

"It's for the best. Really," Hermione said in a firm and steady voice. "This is what Harry wanted. I mean, I spent half my life thinking I knew what was best for him. What he should do, what he should wear, whom he should date. This is the last thing Harry asked for. And for the first time in my life, I'm going to respect his wishes."

"Oh, Hermione," Harry whispered.

Draco's voice had a panicky tone as he spoke. "This is going to sound really strange to you, but…"

"Oh, no, no, no!" Harry gasped.

"…the truth is that Harry is here with us right now. He came here with me, he's standing next to you and he's begging you to wait!"

Hermione looked in Harry's direction. "Right next to me?"

"Right there!"

"Draco, stop, please," Harry said in a resigned tone.

"No, let me do this. I don't know how or why, but somehow I can see your best friend's spirit. I know it's crazy, but I can also talk to him. So why don't I just have him explain the whole thing to you, and I'll translate."

Hermione nodded. "Could you hold on? Just a sec…"

Draco nodded enthusiastically, grinning widely. Hermione walked over to her kids and pulled them up. "Okay, tea party's over. Time for Wiggly Safari!"

"Yay!" the kids cried as they were carried into the sitting room. Hermione closed the door behind them and locked it, pocketing the key. She came back to the kitchen, walked past a still grinning Draco and began to rummage through her drawers.

Harry grinned back at Draco. "Okay, Draco, this could work."

"I think I was actually getting through to her!" Draco said eagerly.

"You need to get her to the hospital."

"And then we'll get her to rip up those papers..." and suddenly Harry screamed and pushed Draco aside. Draco fell as Hermione stood behind him, holding onto her largest meat-chopping knife. She waved it about wildly.

"Get the hell out of here, you freak!" she shouted.

"I'm not making this up! Why would I?" Draco screamed back.

"Hermione, calm down, just calm down!" Harry said in a soothing voice.

Hermione started waving the knife about more dangerously in the air. "I'll chop you! I swear I'll chop you!"

"Tell her about Ginny's date!" Harry shouted to Draco.

"I know about Ginny's date!" Draco screamed as he shifted away from Hermione's range. Hermione paused slightly with a confused look on her face. "Huh? What?"

"I know what you did with Ginny's date on your wedding day. I'll tell everybody!"

Hermione stared at him with wild eyes. "How do you know that? Nobody knows that! Get out of here! Get going!"

Scared out of his wits, Draco ran out of the house muttering about psychotic and deranged women under his breath. Hermione closed the front door shut, locking and bolting it tightly behind her. Breathing erratically, she opened the door to her sitting room and looked at her kids watching TV.

"You kids okay?" she asked them, exhausted by the whole ordeal.

Lily wrenched her gaze away from the TV to look at her. "Mommy, is Uncle Harry gonna have more juice?"

"What?" Hermione asked her eyes wide with shock as she stared at her daughter. The significance of her daughter's name struck her later…she was the one named after Harry's dead mother.

* * *

Draco and Harry stood facing the park near Hermione's house. "I don't think your best friend's a very spiritual person," Draco finally said. 

"She's just being a good mom," Harry argued. "Trying to keep her kids away from a crazy guy. Be happy Ron wasn't there. He would have hung you from a flagpole by now."

Draco shuddered. There was a slight awkward pause before Draco began to speak again. "I can go to that hospital. I could talk to your friend, Remus. I could..."

"No, Draco," Harry said in a defeated voice.

"...talk to the asshole guy," Draco finished.

"Zach? No. Just stop. They'll put you in a straightjacket. There's no way anyone's going to believe I'm still here."

"The little girl. She saw you," Draco pointed out. Harry snorted.

"Oh, great. My fate's in the hands of a four-year-old who has seven other imaginary friends."

Suddenly Draco cried out. "Wait! There is someone else."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked him with curiosity and a slight hint of hope in his voice.

"Come on," Draco said pulling him down the street.

* * *

"Luna!" Draco shouted as he pulled Harry into The Quibbler. Luna looked up from the magazine she was reading upside down. She smiled at Draco before frowning and getting up. 

"The spirit's with you, isn't it? You can't bring that in here! What are you thinking?" she cried out.

"You were right. He's alive," Draco said, completely ignoring her statements.

"Righteous," Luna said, giving a wise nod.

"He's in a coma and his friends are going to take him off life support."

"Not so righteous. So are you guys socializing now?"

"We've…acclimated," Draco replied hesitantly.

"Yeah, I can tell. In fact, I'm sensing some pretty intense feelings that he has for you too," Luna said.

"Really?" Draco asked with a curious look on his face.

"No, I don't!" Harry denied vehemently.

"Major red aura. Somebody's embarrassed," Luna said, giggling all the while.

"I am not. Can we focus here?" Harry said discontentedly.

"Okay," Draco nodded.

"Ask her if there's a spell…" Harry started.

"Or a chant. Anything to get…" Draco said.

"My spirit…" Harry said.

"…back into his body?" Draco asked.

Luna shook her head. "You're asking the wrong question." Draco looked at her, a bemused expression on his face.

"Why is that wrong?" Harry demanded.

Luna started to rub her temples. "Look, I have the gift. I didn't ask for it, but I do. I can sense these things, spirits, ghosts, whatever you call them. Why they're hanging around here in the first place? That's **their** unfinished business."

"Do I have the gift?" Draco interrupted.

"Dude, please," Luna snorted, "You definitely _don't_ have it. You're a civilian."

"But if I don't have it, how is it that I can see him and talk to him when no one else can?" Draco asked with a frown.

"Exactly!" Luna crowed.

"Exactly what?" Draco and Harry asked her at the same time.

"That's the right question," Luna said.

She watched with a grin as Draco and Harry left. She had done her role. Now, it was up to them.

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**A/N: **That was a nice chapter to write. My english felt all wonky at times though. I've got nothing else to say so...ummm, cya in da next chapter?

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**Crubellelasheentaii: **I live in a south-eastern asian country close to the equator, so the heat hits us around march. So my summer holz/ vac (ya, ur right, dey're da same old thing) starts in march/april (dependin on how mean ur skool is. mine sux so da vac starts da end of apr) and endz in june. wht bout u? 

**Shame Ness: **Aaaah, bout that... 'scratches head in an embarrassed/ weird way'...ummm, oh well. didn't mean it 2 b tht way but it just turned out like tht! (refer 2 chap beg.) my stories hav a mind of their own. really annoying at times.


	14. Oops?

**Just Like Hell**

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YAY! I've FINALLY updated! Instead of doing the usual stuff from the movie, I'm writing a whole original scene in this chapter so I dunno how well it came out!

People I've got to thank for making this chapter possible: **Bullied** for the AMAZING plot ideas, **cckeimig** for ALL the corrections she's done, my beta--(yup, I've finally got one) **cordyangel** and all the people who reviewed! (even the one who called me a boy)

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**Chapter Fourteen**

Draco and Harry were back in their apartment. Harry was pacing around the room while Draco stood by the window watching him.

"What the hell was she talking about? She's definitely a loon! God, I feel like the answer's right in front of our faces. I just can't get a handle on it. How do you solve a problem that isn't supposed to be possible in the first place?" Harry ranted impatiently.

"Because nothing seems impossible to me anymore," Draco interrupted. He strode forward to face Harry. "I mean, how come I ended up moving into your apartment? Why can I see you when no one else can? And at the restaurant, I just _happened_ to be there when that guy collapsed! It all seems interrelated somehow." Draco gestured wildly as he said all this to Harry, trying to make him understand. Harry however, just stared at him blankly. Frustrated, Draco pulled out the phone book and started flipping through the pages.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked.

"I don't know. I feel like I missed something here. Wait a second, check this out," he held up the phonebook page. "Sybil Trelawney, the famous mystic lives here. She's famous for her predictions. We could go talk to her." Draco picked up the receiver to call her.

Harry sighed and was about to walk over to stop Draco when he spotted something on the coffee table. It was Harry's photo that Hermione had brought to the hospital. He looked at Draco. "Where did you get this?" he asked him suspiciously. Draco dropped the receiver and placed it back in its cradle.

He looked like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. It was decidedly cute, Harry thought. "It was just at the hospital," Draco said. He smiled hopefully at Harry. Harry stared back at him with a strict face.

"Yeah, I-I took it. I'm sorry. I just…I wanted to have a picture of you. I wasn't sure that I was ever going to see you again... I'm sorry."

Harry smiled at him fondly. "Don't be sorry. That's really nice. I really like that picture."

"Yeah. Yeah, I liked it too," Draco admitted shamefacedly as he picked up the frame.

"I had just gotten my MCAT scores back."

"Well, you must've done well," Draco said looking at the happy looking Harry partying in the photo.

Harry blushed at that. "No, actually, I bombed it. My scores were so low that I couldn't even get into correspondence school."

"And that's a good thing?" Draco asked with another glance at the photo.

"No. I know it sounds kind of crazy. I just wanted to go back to the library and start studying immediately but Ron said no. Hermione surprisingly agreed with him. She's a study freak. She said that the only thing to do was to burn my scores. Ron suggested drinking."

Draco took another look at the picture.

"Well, looks like they were right."

Harry snorted. "It's just funny because the one time I completely failed at something, I had more fun than I've ever had in my entire life."

"You look happy," Draco added.

"I was happy," Harry said with a smile. Then he grimaced. "But what was I doing with the rest of my time? When I think about my life and I… All I can remember is working. You know? Working and working and trying so hard. And for what?"

Draco smiled at Harry. "You helped people. You saved lives."

Harry snorted again. "Yeah, including my own. I saved my life, for later. I just…I never thought there wouldn't be a later."

"No, don't say that. There's still time. We're going to see this lady…" Draco said moving towards the phone again. Before Harry could stop him, he was on the phone calling the woman up to ask for a private audience.

He hung up and pulled Harry out over his protests. "Come on, Harry. This woman just _might_ know what to do. She could help us. After all, how bad could it be?"

Famous last words.

* * *

"We're here," Draco said as they pulled up at a rather rundown flat. 

Harry tried to stop him. "Draco, we don't have to do this. I mean it really…"

Draco ignored him. He walked over to the door and pressed the button to what he figured out would be the seventh floor. A stringy voice crackled from the box. "Hello, my dear. Come right up. I had a feeling you'd be dropping by." A beep followed and Draco wrenched the door open, striding through.

He heard Harry snort behind him. "Had a _feeling_! You just called her fifteen minutes ago." Draco made a shushing sound to shut him up. He looked around for an elevator but couldn't find any.

Harry grinned at him before winking and floating up the stairs. Draco groaned as he began to follow him. "The things I do for you," he muttered under his breath as he made his way up the steps.

"Huh, what was that?"

"Nothing," Draco said firmly.

Seven floors later, a hot, sweaty, panting Draco and a calm Harry emerged in front of a door with the a brass plaque on it.

"Sybil Trelawney, Divinator and Seer Extraordinaire," Harry read. "What a load of crap."

Draco pushed Harry aside and started knocking on the door. On the first knock, the door fell off, raising a cloud of dust as it landed on the grimy carpet. Harry grinned. "I guess she's not really into opening doors."

Scowling, Draco made his way in and found himself in the strangest looking home he had ever been in. It looked like some kind of cross between someone's attic and an old-fashioned tea shop. A large round table was placed in the middle, surrounded by chintz armchairs and fat little poufs. Everything was lit with a dim, crimson light; the scarlet curtains at the windows were all closed and red candles were placed all around the room and quite a few of them littered the floor.

It was stiflingly warm, and the heater was probably on overdrive. Bowls of potpourri gave off a heavy, sickly sort of smell. Though, the smell could be attributed to a pile of sherry bottles that were piled haphazardly on one side of the room. The shelves running around the circular walls were crammed with dusty-looking feathers, stubs of candles, many packs of tattered playing cards, tarot cards, countless silvery crystal balls, turbans, a huge array of teacups and what seemed to be a rubber chicken.

"Where is she?" Harry asked.

A voice came out of the shadows; a soft, misty sort of voice that sounded almost dazed, as though someone had hit the speaker on the head with a club only a few minutes before.

"Welcome," it said. "How nice to see you in the real world at last. I've been awaiting your arrival."

Harry's immediate impression was of a large, glittering insect, most probably a dragonfly. The woman moved into the room and they could see that she was very thin; her large glasses magnified her eyes to several times their natural size, and she was draped in a wispy flowered shawl. Innumerable chains and beads hung around her scrawny neck, and her arms and hands were covered with fake sparkling bangles and rings.

"Sit, my dear," she said. Harry yawned and sat on a pouf. Draco took one look at the poufs before choosing an armchair. He regretted his choice as soon as he started sinking slowly down to find himself embedded in it.

Trelawney sat on a particularly plush armchair with what appeared to be wings sprouting from its back and gazed at Draco. "Why have you sought me out?"

"I thought she could predict everything," Harry whispered to Draco.

Draco aimed a kick in Harry's direction, motioning him to be silent.

"Well, you see," he began before looking disconcertedly at her. Trelawney just blinked from behind her large glasses. "I've met this ghost, but he's not dead."

"Is that so?" she asked as she stared intently at Draco. Draco leaned back slightly before nodding. "Yeah, he's in a coma. And he can't get back into his body. They're pulling life support tomorrow…" Trelawney nodded before disappearing into the door she had come in from.

"Where'd she go?" Harry asked as he looked around. Draco merely shrugged.

She reappeared a few minutes later with a cup of tea. "Thanks but I don't drink tea," Draco said cautiously. "Only coffee."

Trelawney resolutely placed the tea in front of Draco. "Drink that up quickly," she motioned. Draco stared at her as though she were daft (which she probably was) before picking up the cup and taking a long slug. He was nearly done when she pulled the cup out of his hands and started turning it around clockwise.

"Hmmm… the cross. You've got trials and suffering up ahead. Usually this comes up for newlyweds. Did you just get married by any chance?" Draco violently shook his head. Making a weird noise in the back of her throat, she turned the cup again. "The sun, great happiness is ahead of you. Are you sure you aren't married?" Draco raised an eyebrow and she continued turning the cup. Suddenly she let out a shriek as she let the cup drop.

"What's wrong?" Harry shouted.

Draco stared at the woman curiously. "The Grim, my dear, you've got the **Grim**!"

"And how is that going to help Harry get back into his body?" Draco asked, his patience running low with the woman.

Trelawney shook her head. "Harry? Harry, no, that name rings in my ears calling death to it. There is...no hope for him. This Grim signals his death."

Draco glared at her as he attempted to wiggle out of the armchair. Harry was sitting silently on the pouf as though deep in thought. His face was drawn and stressed, as if he were resigned to his fate. Unable to see Harry looking so defeated, Draco turned on Trelawney with his eyes glittering coldly.

"Listen here you overgrown stick figure, how _dare_ you even think about Harry dying! You get another cup, shove your ugly eyes into it and get it right this time!" Trelawney stared at him, her mouth wide open and her eyes popping out of her skull. It didn't seem like anybody had ever spoken to her in such a manner.

In his frenzy to get up and comfort Harry (which was proving to be quite difficult due to the armchair's suctioning), Draco knocked over one of the candles on the table with one arm. The candle landed in a bowl of potpourri on the table. The scented paper pieces caught on fire and the bowl was soon burning merrily.

"Put it out! Put it out this instance, you scoundrel!" Trelawney screeched.

Draco finally managed to pull himself out of the chair. Panicking, he pulled off Trelawney's shawl and tried to smother the flaming bowl with it. As this was not turning out to be his lucky day (underestimation), it wasn't that surprising that the shawl then lit up as well. Draco hastily threw it away before he could be burnt. Unfortunately, he threw it straight at Trelawney. Screaming, she fell backwards onto the floor as she tried to pull the flaming shawl off, her legs flailing.

"Help her, Draco!" Harry shouted from behind him. "Get that shawl off! I'll deal with the bowl."

Draco rushed to the squawking woman on the floor and tried to pull the shawl off, but the idiotic woman had rolled onto it. Looking around for something to put the fire out with, he saw a fire extinguisher at one end of the room. He pulled the extinguisher out and with a cry of triumph, started to spray Trelawney. Not stopping there, he sprayed the bowl which Harry hadn't been able to move more than an inch, and then continued to spray the rest of the room just in case any more fires decided to pop out.

He stopped when he was convinced that nothing red or orange was left in the room. Consequently, the whole room was covered in white foam. Trelawney slowly got up, her eyes trained on Draco.

"You," she said slowly, spitting out the foam from her mouth. Harry winced in disgust. She pulled out a broomstick propped against the table and repeated the word again.

"Yes, me," Draco said exasperatedly. "I just saved your life! Be grateful, you Gorgon."

She nodded. "Oh yes, I'm grateful all right. Let me show you the extent of my gratitude."

And then she proceeded to wallop Draco with the broom all the way downstairs and out of the building.

"And stay out!" she screamed as she shut the door in his face.

"Oh my god, that was—" Harry stopped to laugh. "So damn—" more laughter. "Hilarious! You're getting—" Harry could barely breathe between his peals of laughter, let alone talk. "A lot of doors slammed shut—" Harry doubled over to clutch his stomach. "In your face," Harry finally got out.

"Just get in the car," Draco gritted out.

"Where are we going now?" Harry asked, trying to contain his laughter.

"Home, anywhere else on your mind?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Whatever, just drive."

Draco's reply was to pull the car out of the parking lot and race down the street.

* * *

**A/N: **I'm gonna try my best to finish up da next chap quicker! Keyword: try. Does anybody have any good ideas on what should happen at the Three Broomsticks? If you've got even the _slightest_ clue, CONTACT ME PLEASE!

* * *

**windchaser90: **Thankz so much! sry 4 da super slow update. 

**Crubellelasheentaii: **Wow, Englandz alwyz sounded like a neat place to live in! though kinda wet... (but i've never been there personally...) haha! i have my summer holz rite now n u've gotta wait til july! (ya, tht wz kinda mean. but i cudn help myself! i just **_had_** to gloat :D)

**ick: **oh shut up, ur actin like i suck at da subj or sumthing! n u'll knw da answer as soon as i figure it out myself! so how r da skool interviewz going (u must've reached der by now...)? wish u didn hav 2 move away... (maybe u'll suck at da interviewz n den u'll **hav** 2 stay. oh well, all da best nywyz!)


	15. Moonlit Lunacy

**Just Like Hell**

**

* * *

**

I'm really REALLy sorry for not updating for like...forever! By the way, I kinda changed the chapter 14 ending and scrapped out the Three Broomsticks idea even though I wrote the whole thing. I put in the updated ending in this chapter too so if you can't understand my ramblings, you'll get it soon enough!!!

But if anybody was really, really, really interested in that storyline too, send me an email and I can send it to you!

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen**

* * *

_"Just get in the car," Draco gritted out._

_"Where are we going now?" Harry asked, trying to contain his laughter._

_"Home, anywhere else on your mind?"_

_Harry rolled his eyes. "Whatever, just drive."_

_Draco's reply was to pull the car out of the parking lot and race down the street._

* * *

Hermione sat still in the living room, tugging occasionally on a brown curl that had somehow escaped her bun. She had_ finally _gotten the twins to bed and was now waiting up for Ron to come home. 

She sighed and checked the digital clock for most probably the seven hundredth time this night. There was no distraction for her mind to stop her thoughts from drifting to that visitor that she'd had and about what he had said. What if he _was_ right…?

Suddenly, a door slammed shut and she gave a start at the unexpected noise. A few moments later, Ron walked in, loosening his tie. A small smile crept over Hermione's face. No matter how many times she saw him like that, the image of him formally dressed in a suit always made her want to split up in laughter.

"Hey, Hermione," he said, pleased to see her waiting up for him.

She only bit her lip in response before looking up at him with determined brown eyes.

"I think we need to talk."

Ron knew at that moment that he should have taken that all-nighter instead of returning home.

* * *

When they came to the apartment, they could almost feel the tension and anxiety rise. Draco scowled, noticing from the corner of his eye that Harry was doing the same. 

Tomorrow was the last day.

Draco plopped down into the couch, letting the cushioning surround him. Harry sat next to him, tracing the mark Draco's coffee mug had left on the coffee table.

"Why don't you ever use a coaster?" Harry asked idly.

Draco ignored him. Then he spoke slowly, "I'm sorry, Harry. I thought…yeah, it was stupid. But I seriously thought that _that _hag could help. I'm so sorry…"

Harry interrupted him, moving his hands expressively in front of him. "You know, I just don't want to spend my last night apologizing and crying. Or…fighting my fate."

"What then?"

Harry looked down and then glanced at him with a shy look in his green eyes. "I want to do something…with you."

"Oh, okay. Okay, great!" Draco said with a forced smile. He jumped up with faked enthusiasm. "What do you want to do? Fly to Paris? See the Eiffel Tower? No problem."

Harry laughed, so Draco continued. "Climb the face of some old geezer set in stone? Sure! Wanna dance on a beach in the Caribbean or the French Polynesia? Let's go! Let's do it! Anywhere in the world that will take MasterCard or Visa. Anywhere."

Harry nodded. "There **is **something that I would like to do."

"Anything."

* * *

"I'm so bad at this," Harry said as he snuggled into Draco, feeling the material of Draco's shirt bunching pleasantly against his face. 

"What? What is it? Are you nervous?" Draco asked as he held onto Harry, his hands gently cradling the other man's back.

"A little," Harry admitted.

"Why?"

"I don't know."

"How can you be nervous when I'm not going to do anything?"

"I think I'm more nervous because you won't," Harry admitted. Draco sniggered and tightened his arms. When he held Harry like this, he felt as if he were holding something important…something precious.

"Why?" Draco asked.

Harry didn't reply for a while. "You know in the hospital when you touched me? I felt it. I mean… my spirit felt it. But when Zoe and Lily touched me, I didn't feel a thing. I don't know how. But I think if you could really touch me…I might wake up from all of this. I almost feel that."

"Me too," Draco admitted hesitantly, still not sure about what Harry was saying.

"I think I know what my unfinished business is," Harry said as he pulled back to look at Draco's sparkling gray eyes, lit by a ray of moonlight cutting through the window in a vertical shaft, journeying across the pillows to highlight his face.

"What?" Draco asked, looking directly into Harry's emerald green.

"You."

* * *

Draco woke, languidly rubbing his eyes as he blinked against the sunlight. He felt around the bed. It was cold. Not that he expected it to actually feel any warmth but that's how he usually judged whether his lovers had left the bed or not. Not that Harry was his lover. Oh no, not at all. After all, they hadn't done a thing but hold each other throughout the night. 

"Harry. Harry? Harry?!?" he shouted, afraid that he had gone already.

"I'm right here," came a small voice. Draco got out of bed. Harry was crouched in the armchair in the bedroom.

"Oh, good, good. I just thought you were gone. Suddenly it seems like everything fits in coz I know what I'm supposed to do now, because this time I can do something."

"What the heck are you talking about?"

Draco kneeled in front of Harry. "Harry, when we first met, I kept saying that you were dead. But it was me that was dead, and you brought me back. You saved me. And now it's my turn to turn to save you."

Harry looked at Draco like he had suddenly gone insane. "How?" Draco smiled and stood, pulling Harry up with him

"I'm going to steal your body!"

* * *

**A/N: ** I apologize for that sudden disappearing act of mine! I'll try not to do it again, I swear!!! Oh, and this chap seems to be a double chunk of sappiness coupled with the end of Draco's sanity. It'll certainly be missed.

* * *

**trill- **I'm SO sorry I couldn't update sooner!!!!! 'cries' PLEASE FORGIVE ME. I hope you had an AWESOME stay in China!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

**anonymous **- yup, driving on a cellphone definitely oughta be avoided! harry wud hav been a great healer. but it wud hav been kewler if he became an auror. but i kinda hope he does sumthin completely different from both of these. wait...i lost track. wht m i rambling bout?!?

**Sammy **- hmm...hope this chapter was romantic and fluffy enough. i really suck at writing romantic stuff :(

**kamion-** I'm never gonna leave nything half done. just don't hav da time to pay complete attention to it, thtz all. life stikes a hard deal.


	16. Don't You Dare Body Snatch Me!

**Just Like Hell**

* * *

This chapter was a _bit _quicker :D Sorry bout not replying to any of the reviews for the prev chap but I was in a hurry to get this one out so you guyz wudn't get mad at me again. sniff. Also, skoolz being a bummer. sigh.

* * *

******Chapter Sixteen**

Harry gaped at Draco. He closed his mouth, shook his head, blinked and then opened his eyes again. He tried pinching himself before he realized that wouldn't really work much.

"Tell me," Harry started with a shudder. "Tell me I just didn't hear you say that you were planning to _body-snatch_ me…" Harry drifted off as he saw the maniacal gleam in Draco's eyes. "No, _no_, NO! Draco, what in the world are you thinking? You just can't do this!"

Draco shrugged nonchalantly. "Why can't I?"

"Because you'll go to jail!" Harry protested.

"So? If something happens to you, do you think I'd give a shit about where I'll go? At least, this'll buy us a little more time," Draco said as he walked into the bathroom to wash his face. Harry followed him.

"You can't do this. You don't even know half the things to even start to pull this off…" Harry began.

Draco smirked. "Ah, but _you_ know them. You can talk me through it."

Harry closed his eyes, feeling uncertain and overwhelmed. Then he looked at Draco through the bathroom mirror and sighed. Damn those silver, determined eyes that were cutting through him even as reflections. He rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Okay, you're going to need a van. And somebody with no morals."

* * *

"So… What is it that we're moving again?" Blaise asked. 

Draco focused on driving the stick shift van as fast as he could, not sparing a glance towards his friend in the passenger seat. Of course, the fact that Blaise was currently gripping the edge of his seat in fear might have added to his desire to ignore him. Both men were wearing white doctor robes, courtesy of the back of the endless depths that was Harry's closet.

"Medical supplies," Draco gritted out as he quickly turned a narrow corner. He could hear Blaise chanting a mantra. "Breathe in, breathe out, in, out, your best friend's not going to kill you with his driving, he's not…"

Harry shouted from the back of the van. "You didn't tell him? You have to! You know… he looks really familiar to me."

"You said the same thing at the bar," Draco shouted back.

"Said what?" Blaise asked bemusedly.

"Nothing, never mind. Here we go!" Draco shouted as the van flew through the air and landed with a few bumps.

Blaise stared at Draco and gulped a few times. "Okay, and we're in such a hurry to move this stuff because why?"

"There's a one-day sale on hospital bedpans. I've always wanted one," Draco deadpanned.

"Oh, great. Now you're going to become a couch potato," Blaise said, banging his head against the van's window.

"You've got to tell the poor guy. He looks like he might have a cardiac arrest!" Harry shouted.

"Not yet!"

"Not yet what?" Blaise asked.

"We're not there yet," Draco responded.

Blaise stared at Draco. "Okay, Draco, be honest with me. Has your imaginary friend come out to play?" he managed to ask before he was thrown against the window pane as Draco came to a sudden halt in front of one of the hospital's back entrances.

"Follow me," Draco ordered as he set about following Harry through Hogwarts' labyrinth of corridors. Blaise massaged the bump he was sure would form on his head before following his soon-to-be-ex-best friend.

* * *

"Okay, grab a cart," Harry instructed to Draco. "You'll need a blood pressure cuff, a portable ventilator, right there, that yellow thing, now find that…" 

Blaise stared wide eyed as Draco began to pull things off the hospital's store shelves into a cart. "Draco, what are you doing? These aren't freebies, man!"

Draco looked up and paused. He sighed. "Alright. I knew you wouldn't come if I told you."

"Do I really want to hear this?" Blaise asked apprehensively.

"My imaginary friend is not imaginary. He's the spirit of a man in a coma upstairs who they're about to take off life support. We've got to get him somewhere safe."

Blaise nodded. "Really?"

"Really."

"You should've told him before," Harry muttered.

"He wouldn't have believed me."

"Does he believe you now?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I had to get him into the hospital!" Draco cried out.

Blaise smiled at his friend convincingly. "Let me take you to the psych ward. There are people there who can help! I'll even sign up as one of your doctors if you want me to!"

Draco checked his watch. "No time. It's eleven thirty right now. He's going to be dead in half an hour!"

Harry sighed. "Tell him I know this a stretch."

"Harry is standing behind you right now. He says that he knows what a stretch this is for you."

Blaise rolled his eyes and decided to humor his friend for a while longer. At least until he figured out if Draco had anything sharp and shiny that he might want to use on unsuspecting, old, _definitely _**ex**-best friends. He put his arms behind himself. "If your friend is really behind me, ask him what I'm doing: rock, paper or scissors?" He made a fist with his right hand.

"Rock," Harry said.

"Rock," Draco replied.

Blaise frowned. _Must have been a fluke._ "Now?"

"Scissors."

"Scissors," Draco repeated.

Blaise changed again.

"Paper."

"Paper," Draco shouted.

"Rock again."

"Rock again."

Blaise made a fist and then shifted in into 'paper' again.

"He's flipping me off," Harry said.

Draco glared at Blaise. "Are you flipping him off?" Blaise avoided his eyes guiltily.

"You ARE flipping him off!" Draco shouted accusingly.

"How…?" Blaise asked before shaking his head. "Okay, okay, sometimes people with emotional and mental disturbances can have psychic moments. But even if he was real, do you know what you're risking for this guy?"

"Yes!"

"Why?" Blaise asked angrily.

"Because I love him," Draco said, surprising everyone in the room, including himself. "I love him," he whispered to himself. Then he looked straight at Harry and smiled softly.

"I do, I LOVE YOU!"

Harry looked stupefied. "No one's ever said that to me before..."

* * *

******A/N: **Wheeeee!!! Nother chap done. So how was it? This was one of my favourite scenes. Gotta love Blaise.

* * *

LGSF - yup!!!!!!

kay05 - i have like finally!

mou - hez gonna do jus tht. of course, tht might get slightly complicated...


	17. In My Time Of Dying

**Just Like Hell **

* * *

Another chapter done! I guess this is me making up for that looooooooong period of absence! Umm...btw, I put chapter titles. Can somebody be kind enuf to tell if they're okay or if I shud just take them out and go bk to da old 'chapter 1. chapter 2' numbering? or if i shud change some of dem or something? PLEASE :D

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen  
**

Draco and Blaise were pushing the hospital gurney down the corridor at a furious rate.

"Draco?" Harry shouted.

"What?" Draco asked as he pushed and checked his watch worriedly at the same time.

"Tell him thank you," Harry ordered, pointing to Blaise.

Draco rolled his eyes but did as told. "We're really grateful, Blaise!"

Blaise nodded and replied while panting, "You definitely oughta be but I'm not doing it for you."

"Then why are you doing it?" Draco asked distractedly.

"Because someday, trust me, I'm going to need help moving a body. And when that day comes, I don't want to hear any shit from you." Draco and Harry shared a look before shrugging simultaneously. Who knew what was running through that guy's head?

They pushed the gurney with all the required materials into Harry's private room. Blaise gasped as he saw Harry's figure lying on the bed. "Oh, my god," he blurted out in a shocked tone.

"I know. He's absolutely hot, right?" Draco said as he arranged the gurney beside the bed.

"That's really nice," Harry said, butting in. "But we **have** to move."

"No, that's not it. This is him!" Blaise shouted, pointing at Harry's prone body. "This is the man I set you up with— the man you stood up that night!"

"Shut up! Someone's going to hear us!" Draco hissed before pausing. "Wait…I was going to meet _Harry_ that night?"

"And he didn't make it either, because he had an accident," Blaise continued in a lower tone.

"It was you. Is that it? Is that why?" Harry asked, looking at Draco with bewildered eyes.

"I was supposed to meet you," Draco murmured, looking back at Harry. He turned to Blaise. "How did you know him?"

"I'm friends with his foster sister. Her name's Virginia Weasley. She's my lawyer. You need one in my profession. You know...all those psychotic women I can't cure..."

Suddenly Harry crowed, "I knew I'd seen him. He was Ginny's date to the wedding!"

"Blaise was the one who tongued Hermione at her wedding?"

"How the hell did you know that?" Blaise asked with a frightened look.

"It's Harry."

"Oh my god. He really is here!"

"That's what I've been telling you!" Draco snarled bitingly.

"Get him on the gurney! I don't want them killing Ginny's brother. She'd gut me and hang my remains to dry on her clothesline! And we're ignoring what she'd do to me _before_ she'd even **_think_** of gutting me. We're talking hardcore **pain** here. So come on!" Blaise shouted with wracking shudders.

They got to work. Harry watched worriedly as Blaise and Draco moved his body from the bed to the gurney. He winced as his head lolled back. "Hey, be careful!" With Harry's guidance, they soon got his body ready to be transported.

Harry peeped his head out of the door to make sure the corridor was clear. He pulled back in again. "Shit! Zach's coming down the corridor with Lisa."

Draco glanced at his watch. "He's ten minutes early!"

Harry looked out again. Zach was talking to Lisa. "Soon as those friends show up, we're ready." Lisa seemed to be wiping her face furiously before walking away in the opposite direction.

"He's coming in," Harry shouted as he took a look at the scene. His body was lying on the gurney, a good foot away from where it should be. There were two other people in the room with doctor's robes on with no identification. The conclusion was easy to reach. They were all **_so_** dead. Aaaaargh, why was his life doomed like this?

Draco's mind was doing a 180 degrees in the meanwhile. He took a deep breath and walked out assuredly, bumping into Zach in his way.

Harry came out with him. "Careful, he's smart. His name is…"

"Dr. Smith?" Draco asked, taking a quick look at the guy's rather blatant nametag that seemed to be oddly gleaming. _(think Percy Weasley here...)_

"Yeah," Zach confirmed mistrustfully.

"Well, hi, I'm Draco Black."

"Buy some time. Tell him you're a doctor." Harry advised from the side.

"I'm a doctor," Draco said. Zach looked at his white robes and gave Draco a look that said, 'Can you not be so bloody obvious?'

"You're a special consultant from PAC Medical. Dumbledore sent you," Harry murmured.

"I'm a special consultant from PAC Medical. Dr. Dumbledore sent me down for a final evaluation."

Zach blinked skeptically. "I had no verbal or written instructions to that end."

"There's new evidence to support that full…functionality can be restored. We need to run some tests," Draco made up.

"Who's we?"

"Tell him your team is downstairs," Harry whispered.

"My team is downstairs with a signed order from Dr. Dumbledore," Draco said confidently.

"This is the first I've heard of this," Zach said with suspicion rolling off his voice in waves.

"Go on, confirm with him. We'll wait right here."

Zach sneered. "Alright, then. I'll just get him on the phone," he said pulling out his cell phone. Draco rolled his eyes, took a deep breath and counted till five. Then he pulled an arm back and punched Zach right on the nose. The man collapsed like deadweight. Draco grinned maniacally.

"Draco!" Harry shouted angrily.

"I'm not convincing enough as a doctor! The guy wasn't buying it," Draco shot back as he walked into the room and came running out with the gurney and Blaise.

"Oh jeez, Draco, the felonies just keep piling up! That way!" Harry yelled out.

"Go this way!" Draco cried out to Blaise.

* * *

Behind them, Lisa came around the corner and spotted Zach. "Zach! What happened? Are you okay?" she asked worriedly as she helped him up. 

He merely ignored her as he got up and rubbed his nose. He dialed a few quick numbers on his cell phone and spoke quickly. "This is Dr. Smith. I need security on the third floor corridor."

* * *

"Don't jostle. But go faster," Draco said. 

"Take a right up here," Harry cried.

"Right here! Right, right, right!" Draco shouted to Blaise.

"The elevator!" Blaise said, pushing Harry's breathing tube back in place from where it had started to slip. Suddenly a security guard walked out of the elevator. "Hold it! We need you to…" he started.

Blaise gave Draco a quick look before attacking the security guard and falling into the elevator. He started punching the guard. Suddenly both of them realized something was wrong with the whole picture. They both stared at his hand. He was holding onto Harry's breathing tube.

"Oh, shit," they both whispered.

* * *

Draco turned around the corner to get away from the elevator only to spot security guards coming at him with that arse of a Smith leading them. He made a sharp turn only to see more guards. 

"Stop right there! Stop! Stop! Stop! Hold it!" they shouted in a cacophony.

Draco spun around but he was covered on all sides. He looked around. There were security guards, doctors and he could even see the confused faces of Harry's best friends somewhere in the midst of them all. He looked down at Harry's body and then at Harry's spirit.

"Draco," a voice whispered hesitantly.

"Harry," he whispered back.

"Draco, my breathing tube is gone."

"What? No!" Draco shouted. "Well, what can I do?"

"It's too late," Harry said as he felt himself being pulled away. He stared at his hand. It was slowly disappearing. "It's happening."

"No!"

"It's strong. It's pulling me away," Harry said sadly.

"No! Stay with me!" Draco cried out, holding onto Harry's hand. Suddenly rough hands grabbed him and pulled him back. He could feel the hand slipping.

"I got ya!" the guard behind him shouted. He looked up at the spirit Harry with pleading eyes.

Harry smiled softly at him. "I'll always love you," he whispered before fading away. The monitor gave a beep before showing a straight line.

Draco gasped at the sight, unable to believe it.

* * *

**A/N:** What can I say? whimper. Don't hate me! And the storyz not done yet!!!

* * *

fragonknight01: if luv were all it took. wait, actually it is. starts plotting.

mou:D took them long enuf!

;l: i know! what would happen to all of us girls out there if they were??? there'd be no justice in the world. but hey, this is fanfiction and anything goes!

kay05: herez da next one! though not what you might really hav wanted...


	18. The Scar Is Sinking In

**Just Like Hell**

* * *

Happy New Year!

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen**

"No!" Draco screamed. He could feel his heart being squeezed out and tears burning at his eyes. This couldn't be happening. Not after everything they had gone through. Harry just couldn't die on him like this. He…he just couldn't.

Blaise watched it all happen as if in slow motion. He jumped off the guard and ran out of the still open elevator in the direction Draco had gone. Spotting a huge crowd, he began pushing his way through.

'You still attract quite a following, eh, Draco?' he thought to himself as he pushed another nurse out of the way. He vaguely noticed that she was pretty. But what caught his eye more was the red mane she sported. Oh shit, he'd almost forgotten!

He began pushing through with renewed vigour. Harry could be anywhere out there, dying because he had been stupid enough to pull his breathing tube off! He could almost hear his funeral bells ringing as he imagined Ginny's face. He just hoped that she hadn't invested in a new pick ax since the last time he'd seen her.

He heard a scream. Damn. **Damn.** That was Draco's voice for sure. He had heard it squeaking and rather girlish when they were younger, suave and cold when he had grown older, choked at his father's death, sobbing at his wife's funeral, depressed and dead in the years that had come and now…now it was so full of anguish and pain that Blaise couldn't help but shudder at the rawness of the emotion. **DAMN!**

What he saw justified Draco's scream. Harry's body lay still on the gurney and the life support machine attached to it confirmed him dead. He blinked but couldn't feel anything but emptiness. Bleak emptiness and an overwhelming sadness. He wanted to collapse right there and tear his hair out.

He could see some guards trying to pull a struggling Draco back from Harry's bedside. He had to be there. Not for himself, but for Draco.

* * *

Draco pushed against the hands that held him back. Why couldn't they see that Harry needed him? Why wouldn't they let him go? He wanted to scream and cry and shout until they let him go. All he wanted was Harry. 

Caught in his turmoil, Draco barely noticed another body pushing the guards away until he heard, rather than felt Blaise holding him.

"Draco," he whispered urgently to Draco. Draco shook him off quite easily.

"Get me a sedative!" Blaise shouted.

"Help him! Harry!" Draco shouted back, making his way to Harry's body. There were so many doctors here. Couldn't one of them help him? He could see two other figures pushing their way through to stand near Harry. But he ignored them. What did they matter? He wanted Harry.

Draco was beside Harry's body and he caressed his cheek. "No! Harry!" he whispered in a broken voice. The body was motionless but still warm. Draco could almost pretend he was just sleeping if he ignored the machine beside him. As he stared down at his friends still face, the urge to _do something_ became an urge that Draco found that he couldn't fight. He bent down and kissed Harry.

The lips under his were chapped but soft. And Draco could feel his tears falling on Harry's face as he kissed him. It was pure heaven but the stillness of the lips against his brought home the fact that Harry wasn't going to return his kiss.

_Harry_ was _dead_.

* * *

Guards pulled Draco back again but this time Draco didn't resist. Everyone surrounding him suddenly seemed to come alive as their shock ended. Screams echoed down the corridor as doctors rushed to Harry's aid. 

Draco tried to see through the flurry of white coats, but he was thwarted until suddenly, everything seemed to pause.

There was a beep. Then another. And another. Everybody's eyes were fixed on the monitor as the flat line suddenly plunged upwards. Harry took in a deep breath.

"That's not possible!"

"Yeah, it can't be true!"

"This can't be happening!"

In all the confusion, Hermione and Ron pushed their way through the crowd to Harry's bedside once again.

"Harry? Can you hear me?" Hermione asked Harry softly as she bent down to look at his face. Harry opened his eyes slowly and blinked.

Ron seemed to be wiping his eyes furiously. "I can't believe we almost let you go, mate."

Harry turned confused eyes towards them.

"Harry? It's me," Hermione whispered. "Don't you remember us?"

"Hermione? Ron?" Harry asked slowly as though getting the words out hurt.

"Yeah, mate," Ron said with a relieved grin.

"I think I bumped my head."

"It's okay," Hermione reassured him. "It'll be fine."

Draco stood by Harry's side again, having pulled away from his guards.

"Hey," he whispered.

Harry looked up at him.

"Hello," he said with a slight cock of his head.

"It's me," Draco said.

Harry's eyes narrowed. "Umm…I'm sorry, I don't…"

Hermione seemed to come to Draco's rescue. "Harry, this is Draco. Don't you remember Draco?"

"The apartment? The garden? The bar?" Draco asked. He could feel his recently mended heart tearing apart once again with the growing confusion in Harry's eyes at his words.

Harry shook his head. "Nothing," he said simply.

"Harry, you don't remember him at all?" Ron asked him, shocked. Hermione had told him everything that had happened when Drac had paid her a visit. And what he had said **had been** true. Harry had woken up even if they had almost given up. If Hermione believed in that white ferret look alike, then he would too.

Harry shook his head again.

Draco backed away from Harry. This couldn't be happening. It just couldn't. Harry had almost died and now that he had come back…now this. He stared at Harry for a while before turning away from him. He couldn't bear this. He needed to get away from here. The hospital air was choking him. He just needed…to get away.

Everybody moved aside as Draco made his way through. Blaise placed a hand on his shoulders. Draco shrugged the hand away. He turned behind one last time. Harry stared back with curious eyes that held no sign of remembrance. Blaise, Hermione, Ron…theirs held pity he didn't want to see. Draco just walked away.

* * *

**A/N: **Ummm... at least Harry's alive!

NOW LISTEN UP!!!!!!!!!!! I know that most people will vote for a happy ending and thatz _probably_ what it's gonna end up as, but I was wondering how much longer I should draw the story from here... I mean should there be more suffering in store for them or should they just kiss, make up (or out) and thatz it, major fluff and da storyz done. Or a sad and more realistic ending? I need you people to choose coz I'm not really sure how to end the story now. I've got several plots in mind (refer to above examples) but I just can't pick which one!!!


	19. One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

**Just Like Hell**

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Thanks to everybody who reviewed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I dunno if this ending is likable... this is what you get if you're listening to songs while typing. (Two examples could be Oragalluke Pilla Pilla and Go..Go..Adhigo. With songs like that, what expanation do I need for the wierd wavelength of this chapter!!!)

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen**

Harry felt a stitch in his side as he nearly fell down laughing at Fred and George's predicament. Watching them being chased around, screamed and chided by Mrs. Weasley, Hermione and Percy at the same time was something nobody would want to miss out on. Not that it wasn't a regular occurrence, but this time had definitely taken the cake. Forget the cake; it had ransacked the entire bakery!

Percy had decided that today, the day of Harry's release from the hospital would also be the day he'd introduce his girlfriend to the family. Gred and Forge had apparently only been trying to help her fit in. Of course, Harry didn't quite understand the logic of how letting a lizard loose in her clothes and then offering to pay her for the 'show' she had given them when she had scrambled out of her blouse in panic had helped any.

But it had been way beyond hilarious when the conservative looking, prim and proper girl (probably Percy's female clone… he did work in the Government's Scientific Ultra- Secret Research Department), now only in a long brown granny skirt and bra had jumped up, yelling profanities that even a sailor would have gaped at, before running out of the house…still topless. Obviously, Percy hadn't taken it the same way. The slap she had given him before she had stomped out wasn't doing much in the twins' favour either.

Harry leaned back into the couch to relax. The rest of the family members, namely Bill and Ron, had actually gotten popcorn out as they sat to watch the twins. Ginny and Fleur were eyeing each other dispassionately, with twitching eyes and barely there frowns, as they attempted to carry out a conversation. Keyword: attempted. Mr. Weasley seemed like he was edging for a fire extinguisher in case they tried to set each other on fire.

Ron's older brother Charlie came to sit beside Harry, still chuckling over the prank. "She had a pretty good rack. No wonder Percy's so high strung about her dumping him."

Harry snorted. "Wasn't really looking."

Charlie gave him a disbelieving look. "You don't know what you're missing out on this side of the fence, Harry!"

Harry gave him smirk in return before leaning purposely towards him. "Want me to show you what's on the other side?" he whispered slowly. Charlie backed away, hands up in the air.

"Bursting my personal bubble here. That's reserved for the ladies!"

"You sure?" Harry asked, leaning in a bit more playfully, hand on Charlie's shoulder. Charlie shot out of the couch like he was Ron facing a tarantula.

Harry laughed and moved back to his original position. "Come on, sit back. I swear I won't do another thing, you homophobe."

Charlie plopped back down gratefully. "Am not! I just happen to prefer the fairer sex, thank you. So how's life by the way?"

"Like shit," was Harry's simple reply. And it pretty much had been. It was nearly three weeks after he had been released from the hospital. He still got cramps whenever he moved too much. It was like doing yoga after slouching in bed for a month. Simply put— it hurt everywhere.

"Aaah, the joys of being considered among the living," Charlie said. "I'm sure it has its perks."

Harry yawned. "Wouldn't trade it for anything!" He gave the room a wide grin at nothing in particular. He hadn't felt this relaxed in months, if not years. It felt good.

"So what you going to do now? Gonna go back to work?"

"Actually," Harry began slowly and almost hesitantly. "I'm taking a break. Two months recovery period given with the physiotherapy and all that. In other words, getting myself acclimated with life again."

Charlie laughed at that one. "You mean you're gonna try and get one in the first place."

Harry gave him a shove. "Hey! Why does everybody act like I didn't even exist before the coma? I should start a new timeline for myself. Before Coma and After (Minor) Death."

"Because you didn't," Charlie said in a serious tone that made Harry glance at him. "You were grinding yourself down. Heck, I was in a totally different landmass, across a huge, vast water body and even I knew what a workaholic you were! The coma's probably the best thing that has happened to you in the past few years."

"Thanks for the Geography 101," Harry said, rolling his eyes. There were a few moments of silence before he spoke. His voice was hoarse. "You…you're right. It's just that everything seems the same as before but in a totally different perspective. Getting the job isn't the most important thing to me anymore. Getting a life is. But the worst part is I… I don't know… like something's missing. And I just don't get it! What'd I do wrong now?"

Charlie stared at someone who had become as close as the seventh sibling he hadn't had. He contemplated his answer. Hermione had told the rest of the family about that strange guy who had saved Harry's life. The guy was supposed to be Harry's boyfriend or something like that but then again, Harry didn't remember him anymore. (Hermione had been rather sketchy on the details, totally unusual for her, but considering the circumstances, rather understandable.) Maybe that was it!

It would also cheer Harry up. And get him back on the path to life! Charlie grinned as he got up.

"Just take what life throws at you and make sure to hold on to it," he said. With a smirk that didn't belong to him, he got up to deal with the twin nuisances as well as the rest of the family. They had some matchmaking to do.

Harry just sat and stared at the plain ceiling, hoping it might reveal why everything just seemed so wrong. And what those warm, silver eyes in his dreams meant…

* * *

Blaise sighed as he watched his friend come back from work to drop on the couch again. It was frustrating... this endless cycle. Blaise was ready to tear his hair out. Wake up, find Draco gone, throw the untouched food away, go to work, come back, watch Draco come in, plop on the couch, make dinner, beg Draco to eat, lose the following argument, eat dinner, leave the food hopefully on the dining table, go to sleep, wake up. Aaargh, he was going to sue Draco if he went prematurely bald!

He sighed at his friend's sleeping body. Draco had grown thin. All this work he was imposing on himself in order to forget was taking a toll on him. Blaise frowned. He hated the routines Draco followed whenever he was in a depression. First was the workaholic stage where he exhausted himself until his mother prohibited him from entering the company building, then he'd become a suicidal maniac and if he was still alive after all that, he'd turn to alcohol and proceed to burn his liver out. Luckily, they hadn't seen what the next stage in self-destruction was, but Blaise was afraid that this time might be _it_. He had to do something!

Making sure Draco was indeed asleep; he pressed a few buttons on his phone.

"Narcissa Malfoy here."

"Mrs. Malfoy, this is Blaise Zabini."

Blaise could almost hear the frantic worry on the other end.

"Tell me everything Blaise."

* * *

"Uncle Harry, Come on!" a voice shouted.

"Come on!" another one repeated.

A week later, Harry entered his apartment for the first time in almost five months. He looked around in amazement. Ron and Hermione walked in with him. "We only leased it out for a month so everything should be fine," Hermione said.

"Did you move anything?" Harry asked as he took stock of his apartment.

"No."

Harry walked into the living room and stared at the couch. "It's funny, I just have this strange feeling, like…something's missing."

Ron looked around confusedly. "Everything's here, just like you left it."

"I guess it's just been a long time," Harry said hesitantly.

"You sure you're going to be okay?" Hermione asked as she was leaving. She felt a nagging suspicion forming.

"Yeah, I'm going to be good."

"See you on Saturday," Ron said as he gave Zoe a piggy back ride out. Hermione kissed Harry on the cheek and said, "I'll be baking a pumpkin pecan pie, so you better be there."

Harry smiled. "Ah…**now** I have an actual reason to come!" She swatted at him playfully and smiled as she left, carrying a squealing Lily.

Harry closed the door and fell back on his couch. "God, am I glad to be home!"

He sighed and furrowed his brow as that lost feeling came back. What was he missing? He couldn't figure it out, but he knew it _hurt_. Suddenly, he looked at his coffee table and gasped. His green eyes narrowed in anger. There was a coffee mark on the table. Wait until he got his hands on the bastard who couldn't even use a simple necessity like a coaster!

He walked around to the other side of the table to inspect the damage. He put his finger on the mark. It felt…familiar for some reason. He traced the mark slowly. Something was important about this mark but he couldn't remember _what_.

He hated this. This feeling of not knowing what he he should know. When had everything gone so wrong? He sat down on his couch and didn't stop the tears of frustration from falling.

* * *

Ginny Weasley was running a hand through her red hair as she listened to her brother on the other end.

"But Charlie… we don't even have proof that…"

"I know. Yeah, he's been so dull. Everybody's noticed. But do you really think it's because of that boyfriend that he can't remember?"

"Oh come on, we don't even know who this guy is!"

Her secretary poked her head in, signaling to let her know that she had a client. She looked down at her planner. She didn't have any appointments scheduled. She wondered who needed her services this desperately.

"Sorry Charlie, but I have to go. I've got an unexpected client. I'll call you back!" She hung up and smoothened down her top, getting up to meet her next client.

"Blaise!" she cried out happily as she saw him walk in. He was one of her favourite clients. Fun, charming and handsome, lunches and dates with him were always entertaining! She toned down the informality when a woman walked in after him. The woman looked cool and collected and Ginny wondered what exactly was going on. She gestured for them to take a seat before sitting down herself.

"What can I help you with, Mr. Zabini?" she asked Blaise uncertainly.

Blaise just grinned at her. "Don't be so tense, Gin. This is Narcissa Malfoy, the mum of one of my close friends Draco. You remember him, right? The guy we set up with Harry, your foster brother."

"The guy who never showed up," Ginny replied, her tone slightly frosty though she was in awe at being in the presence of such a woman. Narcissa Malfoy could be considered a society goddess!

"Bingo!" Blaise said merrily. "We have a proposition to make."

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "I'm all ears."

Narcissa Malfoy smiled with a glint in her eyes.

* * *

Hermione stared around the room, her eyes beseeching Ron to save her. But even Ron was helpless as he was held in place by the malicious looks on his family's faces. They both turned to Harry as Hermione awkwardly cleared her throat.

Harry looked up from his dessert, startled to notice that everybody in the room was staring at him. He broke out in a slight sweat.

"I don't have anything written on my face, do I?" he asked carefully. Everybody jumped slightly and hurriedly occupied themselves. Harry carefully distanced himself from the pie he had been pigging out on, throwing suspicious looks at the twins (the first generation… both of them were proving to be a nuisance though the second's exploits could be blamed successfully on the first). What was going on?

Hermione cleared her throat again. Harry looked at her questioningly.

"Umm… you know how we leased out your house for a month?" she began slowly.

Harry nodded hesitantly.

"Well… umm… you know the day they were going to pull the plug?" Everybody in the room tensed up but slowly relaxed when Harry nodded again.

"Well, we extended the lease for another month the day before that. And I'm SO sorry we didn't tell you before and all that! The guy we leased it out to was nice enough to give you time to settle back in but it _is_ his apartment as well at the moment. So he's going to move back in tomorrow," Hermione said in a rush.

Harry gave her a strange look and then said slowly, "He's just going to be there for a month, right?"

Surprisingly, the whole family nodded. Harry shrugged. It was only a month after all.

"Then I guess its fine."

The cheers that swept through the room left him wide eyed. What the HECK was going on?

* * *

Draco stared at the door he never expected to see again after _that_ day. He still didn't know what he was doing back here but he guessed that could be attributed to the pep talk that his friend and mum had given him. He couldn't remember what exactly it was about but he did remember a certain comment his mother had made.

"_Why don't you grow a pair of balls and win back his love, Draco? He's not dead! You still have a chance!"_

After hearing something like that from your polite, well-bred mother, anybody would be shocked. Though Draco realized it was a bit overboard to be in shock for as long as he'd been, which had resulted in him being practically dragged all the way to the apartment. He took a deep breath. Well, he would win Harry back. His mother was right. He still had a chance.

Oh, what the fuck? He rang the bell, deciding not to hesitate for another moment. Footsteps could be heard as they came to the door and the door was flung open.

Draco's eyes widened.

* * *

**A/N: **Eh... don't tell me I completely ruined it! I tried to keep an angsty feeling to the story while not dipping down the chapter with it. In fact, the chapter was going to be more angsty... way more angsty! But try listening to those songs (scroll up) and imagine thinking angst with that going on! The last Narcissa Malfoy line is a brainchild from Vivaldinlove's review!

Oh, and for those who complained that the last chapter was too short, hope this made up for it! This is probably my second longest chapter... sweatdrops.

Guess I should have mentioned this. Therez still a chap or two left (depends on whether the number 20 or 21 sounds nicer)...

Ummm... anyway... Harry and Draco (both well and alive, this time around) in one apartment. Any ideas???

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**Reviews: **(feels like a long time since I've done this!) 

Ann: I'm trying to end it somewhat like that!

i luv your fic!!!: you're not the only sucker for happy endings. glances up. looks like the storyz heading towards it (mutters: unless i come up with something else...smirk) But I think you have those songs to blame for that... is it possible to get high on songs?

Zal: Aaaw... itz not poor harryz fault. hez tryin his best!!! don't be mean to him!

tiapotter16: not exactly movie like but hey, i'd hate livin up to expectations!

Argo: happy it (probably) is!


	20. Changing Up Your Living

**Just Like Hell**

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yay, only one chap left now!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thanx 2 EVERYBODY WHO REVIEWED!!!!!!! thanx 2 Bullied for help in this chapter!!! wudn hav come out w/o her!

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**Chapter Twenty**

Harry was lounging on the couch in just his boxers when the bell rang. Groaning, he got up and stretched to work out the kinks. He had had his last physiotherapy session that day. Looking around, he found an old pair of slacks thrown out from the closet during cleaning and pulled them on. He walked to the door and opened it, taking in the sight before him.

If Harry could whistle, he would have. The guy in front of him was hot! Blond hair, grey eyes, whew! The guy didn't look like he had been taking much care of himself though. Thin and half starved. Made him wonder what the guy had gone through to get himself looking like that.

"Yeah, can I help you?" he asked stifling a yawn at the guy.

Draco gulped. Actually seeing Harry in the flesh was shocking enough but having to see him _in the flesh_ stupefied him. He nearly wanted to knock Harry on the head for opening the door without a shirt on. What if it had been Justin? Harry would have had a hand in his pants and would have been shipped off to the bedroom before he could have even blinked!

Draco growled at the visual image.

Harry stared. Okay, rewind, what the heck had he said or done to merit that growl? He noticed the suitcases the guy was carrying. Was this guy his new roommate? It was going to be _so_ entertaining if all he could do was look pretty and growl. Even if he had a _sexy_ growl.

"Huh? I don't speak dog, you know," Harry said. Draco blinked. When had he spoken dog? Could anybody speak dog? Then he remembered his possessive growl and blushed.

"Uh… sorry, just blanked out. I leased out your flat for another month," Draco said, his eyes never leaving Harry's face. It was him. He was alive. He was in front of him. He didn't have a shirt on. His response to the above was shot to hell at the next thought. Harry didn't remember him.

"Yeah, I know," Harry said to the guy who knew how to state the obvious. He looked at the blond he was going to spend the next month with closely, seeing an almost aristocratic face with high cheekbones and a tilt to his chin. Judging from the guy's facial expression, he seemed to either be an arrogant asshole with a stick up his ass or an arrogant asshole who terrified people as a daily pastime.

Either way, the arrogant asshole part wasn't really encouraging. Harry looked at the guy's eyes. Unlike the dull gray that he had expected, it was a silver hurricane in there. His heart skipped a beat. Those eyes…

Draco shivered at the flash of Harry's green eyes, they were so clear, so bright, _so_ full of life. And, he'd missed them….

Abruptly, he pushed past Harry. He couldn't look at those eyes anymore, knowing they weren't seeing him and only him as they had before. He walked into the familiar living room and plopped onto Harry's couch. Good thing the couch was comfy, he had a feeling that he was going to be spending a _lot_ of time on it.

Harry gaped at the guy who had just rudely swept past him, knocking into him on the way. His shoulder tingled where the guy's shoulder had brushed past. His eyes closed as he took a deep breath, and when they opened, they were a dark, deadly ivy green.

The guy had not only invited himself into _his _flat, he had done it rudely and on top of that, he had stained his coffee table. He snarled. He would make the guy want to run out of here in his first week! He. Would. Pay.

* * *

Draco was glad that his mother hadn't banned him from work this month. It was his last line of defense. He really didn't know what else to do. He already knew Harry didn't like him drinking and he wasn't going to risk anything now. This was his last chance. He couldn't blow it. 

Sitting at his desk in his own corner room at work wasn't really the best way to get around it either. He needed to _do_ something. His eyes darkened. And he needed to get Harry back for this last week.

First, it had started with small incidents that could be overlooked, like the laundry problem. Harry had 'accidently' mixed all of Draco's shirts with his **red** pair of boxers. He pushed away the thought of Harry in red boxers. That wouldn't be getting him anywhere.

Next, there had been weirder accidents. Harry had tripped on the carpet with a warm cup of cocoa only to fall on Draco who was randomly walking by. The _heat_ wasn't a problem, but the copious amount of sugar mixed in it was. And of course, it had to be on the day that Harry had called in some people to reassemble the pipes to see if they were functioning properly. And who knew the kitchen had an ant problem? Weren't they on the_ fourth floor_?

He had been forced to swallow all his pride and go downstairs to beg…no, ask Justin for a bath. The guy had seemed surprised and then had eagerly allowed Draco liberal use of his bathroom. Draco had made sure to lock the bathroom first. Then in the middle of his bath, just as he was relaxing, Justin had decided to display his amazing lock picking talents. Shouts of how he'd be welcome to return had plagued him all the way back to Harry's flat.

He hadn't really thought Harry was doing anything deliberately. Coincidental, yes, but Harry couldn't be _that_ mean. Then this morning…

_Draco had stumbled out of sleep drowsiliy, but with his internal clock telling him to get ready for work. He rolled and nearly fell from the couch. He yawned. He should probably ask Harry to make him breakfast he thought with a grin. They had split up the work in the flat. After the red boxers, Draco refused to let Harry anywhere near the washing machine. So he had taken over the laundry._

_Then Harry had seen him struggling to make an omelet and kicked him out of the kitchen muttering about what a mess he made. It almost felt like some kind of distorted version of domestic life. _

_Ruminating, he headed towards Harry's bedroom. He was about to knock when he heard the voice on the other side. Seemed like Harry was on the phone. He was about to pull away and come back after having a bath when he heard his name. He put his ear to the door and listened._

"_Yeah, I tried that on Draco already. It was classic! You should have seen his face when he saw all the pink shirts._

"_I told you about the cocoa thing yesterday, right? I've gotta have something to up that, Fred._

"_He's a platinum blond. It looks like it was dyed. Too perfect._

"_Green dye in the shampoo? Bloody awesome! I'll buy some today. Thanks George! Call you later."_

_Draco pulled away from the door and was back on the couch before Harry left his room and headed into the bathroom. He got up and glared at the closed bathroom door. His hair wasn't dyed! It was absolutely natural!_

_Then he blinked. The rest of the words Harry said filtering in. Wait, all those random occurrences weren't random but planned acts? He snarled. If that was the way Harry wanted to play it, then play it he would._

Draco stood up and walked to his window, staring outside as his mind whirled furiously.

* * *

"Mother, I'm going to be taking a two week break." 

His mother spluttered. "You're what?"

"Taking a break," Draco said, raising an eyebrow. "I thought you'd be familiar with the concept seeing that you make me take them whether I want to or not."

"But…you're actually asking me? Draco, honey, have you checked your temperature?"

"Yes mother, but now I have other things to do. So, please excuse the absence," he said as he flipped his cell phone closed. _Mothers_, he thought with a snort.

Now what to do next? Hmmm… a social call to the hospital.

* * *

Harry hummed as he walked to the bathroom. The first week hadn't been that great in his attempts to get Draco out. But by now, he was used to the blond guy who could apparently do more than growl. It was actually fun. The guy had taken a break from work a few days ago and since he'd been bored, he'd dragged Harry all around town. Circuses, amusement parks, movies, restaurants. 

Harry shivered, causing his humming to pause slightly. The guy seemed so familiar, so right. He smiled, thinking about Draco actually trying the ring toss at the last amusement park. He could _fall_ for Draco if he wasn't careful. But he was done with being careful, he wanted a life! His dreams no longer lingered on silver eyes, but every time he caught Draco's eyes, a shiver would work its way down his spine.

As it was doing right now. The bathroom door had opened. And Harry wiped his chin. Do not drool. Do not drool. Do not drool. Draco was standing in front of him with only a towel wrapped around his waist.

Should towels like that be legal? It was too small, too tiny, resting dangerously low on those hips. Harry forced his eyes back up. Only to see a smirk on Draco's face as though he was enjoying what he was seeing. Harry was about to glare at him when he noticed a drop of water on Draco's nose. It slipped down and Harry's eyes traced its path unable to look away. It was a disaster in the making as it traveled over two pale, smirking lips, then down to his chin.

A slight tilting of his neck and instead of dropping down to his chest, it slid down the slender neck in an entrancing rivulet. Then down onto Draco's chest, nearly perfect if not a bit too lean. It followed down to the slight trickle of blond hair on the guy's stomach. Blond hair that lead down. Harry gulped. At least now he knew that the guy was a natural blond. The drop finally soaked into the low lying towel.

Harry shuddered as he tried to keep himself from jumping the guy. Okay, he could do this. Just don't look at those eyes, don't look down. Look at his lips, those nasty things twisted in a smirk. Not nasty, they're perfectly alright! Okay then, don't look at the lips either. Don't look anywhere! Just close your eyes.

Harry closed his eyes with a squeak. "Put some clothes on!" he shrieked. Draco raised an eyebrow and walked past him. He bent down beside Harry and whispered. The whisper had Harry stiffening. Don't jump him. Don't jump him. Don't.

"I'm hungry, so hurry up."

It took a bit for Harry's mind to catch up and realize he was referring to breakfast. Oh, yeah, sure! Seduce him on the spot and then demand breakfast! He sniffed and went to take a bath. He was sure he needed a cold one.

Too bad he didn't realize that was what he was going to get whether he wanted it or not.

* * *

Harry was halfway through his bath when the water suddenly turned cold. He let out a scream. '_That, that bastard!,'_ he thought. Draco must have used up so much of the hot water for only this much to be left for him. He quickly shampooed his hair, rinsed it and jumped out, not bothering with conditioner. He wasn't into masochism. 

Then he realized another important fact. The towel Draco had wrapped around him. It was HIS TOWEL. He looked around the bathroom. Nothing, nada! Draco hadn't done the laundry in a while so now he was on to his last towel. Which the bastard had used!

* * *

"Isn't he a bit too old to do that still?" Terry muttered when a scream had come from the bathroom. Draco shrugged as the girls—Lisa, Padma and Parvati giggled. 

"Who knows? Maybe he slipped or something?" Dean replied, the only one to come to Harry's rescue. There was another scream. Terry and Dean exchanged a look.

"Should we go and see if he needs some rescuing?" Parvati asked apprehensively.

Draco shrugged again with a mysterious grin. "He'll be fine. Tell me more about yourselves. Whatever happened to the Smith guy anyway?"

"Zacharias Smith?" Lisa asked with a snort. "Dumbledore kicked him out. Probably in Arizona by now. Good riddance!"

Draco grinned viciously. "And his nose?"

"Broken, will probably never be the same without a plastic surgery," Dean said with an answering grin. "That was a good hook, man!"

"It was nothing," Draco replied modestly.

"You never told us how you and Harry got back together. Last time I knew, Harry still didn't have any memories about…" Padma trailed off.

Draco sighed. "He still doesn't…" He was interrupted as the bathroom door opened and a soaking Harry Potter ran to his bedroom. On the way, he paused in the living room as he noticed the five shocked and one composed face watching him. With a face rivaling a tomato, he dived into his bedroom.

"Was that Harry…" Dean began.

"…who was just running stark…" Parvati whispered.

"…NAKED through his living room?" Padma ended.

"He… did you see… what the hell… was his hair…?!?" Terry stumbled over the words.

"GREEN!!!" Lisa spat out with disbelief.

Draco, who felt his face twisting as he tried not to laugh, got up. "I think you should leave. I don't think Harry will have the composure to talk to you now."

The five colleagues nodded and left the apartment in a daze. He heard Padma's whisper of "Omigod, did you see that body…" down the corridor. He closed the door with a clenched fist. Then he fell on the floor and burst into laughter.

The bedroom door opened and a furious, dressed Harry came out. Draco didn't know whether to be disappointed or amused. His red face, neon green hair and snarling green eyes had Draco struggling for breath as it reminded him of some sort of warped Christmas. Harry waited with glaring eyes as Draco recovered his breath.

"You think this is funny?" he whispered.

"An eye for an eye," Draco said as he struggled to get up.

"An eye for an eye makes a man blind! How can this be a joke, you twisted asshole? They were my colleagues! You just completely humiliated me in front of them!" Harry spat out.

Draco frowned as he got up. "And you completely humiliated me by letting me wear that pink monstrosity to work on the day I had a meeting with the Board of Directors. As well as that incident with the man whore downstairs!"

Harry's eyes blazed. "Pink is in, so shut up. I probably helped your fashion sense. It's not my fault you're so color blind in the morning to not notice what you wear."

"Pink doesn't mean a blotchy white shirt with red splotches. And it's certainly not _my_ fault you didn't notice that there weren't any towels left!"

"And the hair?"

Draco shrugged. "You were going to do that to mine anyways. Think of it as retribution for all the white shirts."

"I didn't make you shower with cold water!"

"You drenched me with hot cocoa that had enough sugar content to drive a person into diabetic shock!"

"It didn't give you a risk of running hypothermia!"

"Ah! But what about the burns?"

Harry snorted. "Burns, my ass! I checked to see how warm it was before I poured it on you." Then he flushed.

Draco grinned. "Aaaaw, I didn't know you cared, Harry!"

"Shut up! What were my colleagues doing here anyway?"

"I don't know, maybe they just felt like visiting you," Draco replied innocently. Harry gave him a weak glare before he sighed and sheepishly inspected one green bang.

"I've never dyed my hair before and this is permanent coloring! I'll have to dye it black now!"

Draco snickered. "It does bring out the color of your eyes." He walked to Harry and slid an arm around him. "I'll help you dye your hair back if you want. Truce?"

Harry gave another snort. "Of course, you'd be an expert at this stuff. Truce."

"What do you mean by that?" Draco asked suspiciously. Harry just whistled.

"If you're trying to say that I dye my hair, I can give you proof that I don't!"

Harry suddenly had a picture perfect visual of Draco from this morning, half naked and slightly wet from the shower. He SO did not need that now, especially with Draco's arm around him. "That's quite okay... So do you have any dye lying around or will we actually have to…gulp…go out and get some?"

Draco took pity on Harry. "I'll go and get the dye. And something to eat as well. Just try and stay away from any mirrors. I refuse to replace any if they break in terror."

It took Harry until Draco slipped away with his car keys to understand what he had meant. Draco snickered as he drove off and a garbled yell came from the building.

* * *

Justin whistled as he came up the stairs. He had lost all hope for Drac after the little episode they'd had a month back. But last week had renewed his hope! Dracy had actually come to _him_ asking if they could shower together! Pity he had to go before the interesting part could start… 

But never fear. He rung the bell. Justin was here!

* * *

**A/N: **One chapter left!!!!!!!! Itz all written up, going to put it up asap! 


	21. For A Loving Transition

**Just Like Hell**

* * *

Ya, da **complete** sign is for real. this is DA last chap. _weeps_. again, thnx to bullied! believe me, w/o her this chap equals fishfood!

C da dates!!! took EXACTLY one year to complete this!!! total fluke! WOAH!

* * *

**Chapter Twenty One**

Harry was bent backwards over the sink with Draco pressed up against him.

"You don't mind this, do you?" Draco asked, his warm breath splaying across Harry's jaw. Was the asshole insane? Of course, he minded! He was pressing against him…_aaaah_…and asking him a question like _that_?

"I… ah… don't… just, umm… that is, go on… just get it over with!" Harry managed to stammer out.

Draco shrugged and returned to the task of washing the dye from Harry's hair. They had followed the procedure properly so Harry's hair should be black by now. Keywords being: SHOULD BE. His eyes widened as he noticed a serious flaw. It wasn't bad but he didn't think Harry would appreciate it much.

Okay, so distract him. Draco gulped, he could do this. "Harry?" he asked bending down breath on Harry's neck as he spoke. There was a shiver underneath him.

"Do you hate me?" he asked, even as his fingers went through the _mostly_ black strands.

"No," came the breathed out sigh.

"You won't hate me in the future either, will you?" There was a suspicious stiffening underneath him. His tongue came out to quickly lick the junction between neck and collarbone. The stiffening left.

He backed away to see Harry's dilated eyes staring at him in shock. "No…"

Without missing a beat, his tongue traced a path from his jaw down to his collarbone, his teeth leaving slight marks. Harry moaned at the graze of his teeth and Draco let himself run one hand up the flat stomach to slide to the muscular back. He wasn't sure if he'd _ever_ seen such an erotic sight as Harry. His green eyes were glazed, his lips parted, and he was moaning against Draco. He hoped to hell and beyond that Harry wouldn't notice what had happened to his hair.

Just then, the bell rang.

He began to panic. If he left Harry here, then Harry would look into the mirror and… not good! But Harry was only wearing slacks so as to not ruin his shirt during the dyeing. He didn't want Harry to open the door to anybody like that! Him being the only exception that is...

"Are you going to answer that?" Harry asked, his head burrowed in Draco's shoulder.

"Yes, no, do I have to?"

Harry chuckled against his skin and Draco nearly purred. "We _oughta_ check. It could be something important..."

"I guess we oughta," Draco whispered pulling away from Harry, his hands showing his reluctance as they left the warmth. He switched off the light in the bathroom. Yes! Harry would follow him out now! He opened the door, Harry leaning on the kitchen counter in his periphery. He smiled. He knew that things would finally go right now.

Of course, that was before he caught sight of who was outside. Justin Finch-Flinchy! Then he was pushed backwards as the blond outside threw himself on Draco with a squeal and thoroughly proceeded to kiss him.

* * *

Harry watched Draco open the door with a smile on his face. He had just… he couldn't believe it! Draco had actually… well, they hadn't kissed but Draco had shown that he wasn't disinclined to! 

The next moment shattered all his hopes as _something_ jumped on Draco and glued its lips to him. Forget lions or beasts roaring in his chest, all he could see was red. Blind hot red.

He pulled the _thing_ off Draco and promptly threw a punch at Draco. Draco avoided it but the fist grazed his jaw.

"Ouch! You've got the wrong guy here!"

Harry scowled at him. "I didn't see you protesting!"

"Hey, you can join in too, no worries!" came a chirpy voice from the side. Draco watched his personal Armageddon come as Justin blabbered on. "It's okay, I'm sure Draco won't mind having a ménage à trois!" the man whore insinuated with a wink. Draco wondered how an idiot like Justin would even know a phrase like that.

"And I absolutely LOVE the hair! You've got to tell me ALL about your hairdresser! The green highlights are purrrrrrrrr- fect!"

Shit. Harry reached a hand to his hair. His eyes zeroed in on Draco's panicking visage.

"Green highlights?" Draco felt his mouth dry. An arm wrapped itself around his waist and a sloppy, wet kiss was pressed to his jaw. He could see the sparks coming from those green eyes. A tongue began to lather itself all over the side of his neck. Forget sparks, fireworks wouldn't be able to compare!

Shoving Justin off him, he pulled him out of the flat and closed the door behind him. It seemed Justin needed to be reminded of what _exactly _Draco had told him last time this occasion had arisen.

And this time, he would make sure he wouldn't forget that easily…

* * *

Harry could nearly feel his teeth hurt as he stood at the door. He hadn't moved from the door and he had been gritting his teeth since then. The door opened and a flushed Draco entered the flat. 

"I can explain, Harry," he said slowly.

"Explain what?" Harry said coldly. "There isn't anything to explain. It's not like there was anything between us in the first place for anything to _need_ to be explained." He turned around.

Draco's heart began to pound. Not again. He wouldn't leave him again. He pulled Harry towards himself before he could move another step and pinned him, his hands holding Harry's arms to the wall.

"Shut up!" he growled. Harry's eyes widened. "Why don't you get it yet? I'm sick of not being able to have you," he whispered as he stared into Harry's eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Harry whispered back. He could almost feel his stomach dropping. There was something so instinctively right about being with Draco. He didn't think he could walk away even if he wanted to. He was pinned to the wall by those silver eyes. And something told him that this was what he had been looking for all this time.

This was what he wanted. He leaned up.

Draco didn't hesitate. He claimed Harry's lips. It was desperate as he poured everything he had into that kiss. He wanted, no **_needed_** Harry to understand that he was his everything.

Harry felt almost dizzy as Draco's warm mouth moved over his, teeth nipping at his lips until his mouth opened. Then a tongue was sliding over and around his as they both took in everything the other had. He'd never known a kiss could be this demanding and electric and yet achingly familiar at the same time. The kiss ended suddenly, as lack of air pushed them apart.

Harry looked up at the grey eyes now almost wild looking before Draco's face descended and they were back again. It wasn't any softer this time. His hands were released as Draco pulled the drawstring on his slacks. Harry slipped his now free hands under Draco's shirt, pulling it off. Skin against skin. It was delicious.

Draco moved from his mouth with soft kisses before nuzzling the side of his neck. He breathed hotly on his neck, making a sound of triumph.

"You wouldn't believe how much I've wanted this." Draco said, cradling the side of his face before they began kissing again and all rational thought fled.

* * *

Harry woke up as sunlight fell on his face, a satisfied smile stealing over his face. His smile brightened when he felt Draco's arms around him. He turned around to see Draco still beside him. 

He wasn't sure what he had been expecting but this made him smile. He wondered briefly if he should tell Draco about the weird dream he had about both of them. Then he shook his head. Nah, he was too content right now. Maybe later.

"Hey." He looked up to see Draco looking at him with a slight smile.

"Hey," he whispered back. Then he frowned as he remembered the events of last night.

He saw Draco stiffen with his frown. "Is anything wrong?" asked Draco, his whispered words unable to hide his fear. He didn't think he could let Harry go now, not after all this…

"You never told me who that guy was last night…" He felt more than heard Draco's sigh.

"That was the man whore who happens to be your neighbor. And you condemned me to take a bath in his apartment!" They both shuddered.

"That's not going to happen again anytime soon," Harry promised. Then his eyes suddenly narrowed.

"My hair," he stated. Draco laughed and ran his fingers through the black strands that were mixed with green.

"You look sexy." Harry gave him a look. "You do, I swear. The hair looks great!"

"I have green highlights," Harry moaned. Then he paused. "I think I dreamt of that guy."

Draco growled. Harry laughed. "I had this weird dream. You were trying to get my spirit exorcised or something and you tried to steal my body and it was _sooo_ weird!"

"Ummm… I think I'm late for work," Draco said with a nervous chuckle. He tried to pull himself away.

"You don't have work. You're on break," Harry said, quickly getting up to snatch Draco's wrist.

"Oh, yeah," Draco said. Okay, distract, distract! His lips pressed against Harry's forcing him back in bed. "Then I guess I have time to spend with you!"

He knew that from the last time he had tried to distract Harry, this wouldn't end well. But hey! Harry was moaning his name and that's all that mattered for now.

_---La Fin---_


End file.
